The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has strongly condemned a bill in the Senate that seeks to permanently elevate the Ooni of Ife and Sultan of Sokoto as the exclusive Co-Chairmen of the Traditional Rulers Council. According to the group, this move would unfairly exclude apex traditional rulers from other ethnic nationalities and geopolitical zones.
Dr. Ezechi Chukwu, National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, expressed the group’s concerns over the bill, stating that it disregards fairness, equity, justice, and the principle of Federal Character as enshrined in the Constitution. The bill has already passed its second reading in the Senate.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide described the bill as not only inequitable but also discriminatory and ethnocentric. Chukwu emphasized that the Senate has failed in its capacity as the highest legislative body and custodian of the nation’s democratic mandate by proposing such a bill.
The group is calling for the urgent withdrawal of the bill and a review that considers ethnic differences, cultural sensitivity, geopolitical balance, inclusive governance, and equitable representation. According to Chukwu, only through such a review can the bill foster national unity, peaceful coexistence, and social stability.
The bill would exclude apex traditional rulers from other ethnic nationalities and geopolitical zones.
The bill disregards the principle of Federal Character as enshrined in the Constitution.
The bill lacks ethical considerations, objective metrics, and unbiased categories for national unity and social justice.
The proposed bill has sparked concerns about its potential impact on national unity and social stability. Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide believes that the bill’s withdrawal and review are necessary to ensure that the rights and interests of all ethnic groups are protected ¹.
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