Akwa Ibom speaker advocates restructuring of Nigeria

THE Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Honourable Onofiok Luke, has called for the restructuring of the country.

Speaking in Uyo, the state capital, against the backdrop of series of bloodlettings perpetrated by armed Fulani herdsmen, the Boko Haram insurgency and the religious war in Southern Kaduna, the lawmaker said it was time for the country to be restructured.

He made the call when a delegation of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Akwa Ibom, led by Eze C.C. Osuagwu, paid him a courtesy call.

According to him, “it has become increasingly frightening to hear mindless killings of innocent Nigerians on a daily basis in different parts of the country,” saying “such crises fuelled by issues of religion and ethnicity call for a rethink on the way forward for Nigeria.”

Luke, who represents Nsit Ubium State Constituency in the 6th National Assembly, lauded the peaceful disposition of Akwa Ibom people to visitors and warned non-indigenes against taking such gestures for granted.

“The state is very hospitable and friendly to visitors, but it is wrong for anyone to take such gesture for granted,” he said.

He spoke against the recent violent clash involving some Hausa\Fulani scavengers at Itiam Etoi community in Uyo.

The speaker, who also made a case for what he called true fiscal federalism, lamented that the current system has failed to address the core issue of unity in diversity for real development to thrive.

He commended the Igbos for their entrepreneurial spirits and urged them to live in harmony with the host state for more synergy to drive the Governor Udom Emmanuel’s industrialisation vision.