The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has condemned the bill currently before the Senate seeking to permanently elevate the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto as the exclusive co-chairmen of the Traditional Rulers Council.
The publicity secretary of the group, Ezechi Chukwu, in a press statement, stated that the move would be at the expense of apex traditional rulers from other ethnic nationalities and geopolitical divides.
Chukwu added that the socio-cultural organisation is astounded by the rationale behind what he termed an asymmetric bill by the Senate, with its utter disregard for fairness, equity, justice and the principle of federal character as enshrined in the constitution.
“The Senate in this vein has failed in its capacity as the highest legislative carrier and custodian of the nation’s democratic mandate.
This bill is not only inequitable, discriminatory and ethnocentric, it is equally distasteful, reprehensible and objectionable,” he stated.
The group’s spokesperson further described the bill as lacking all ethical considerations, objective metrics and unbiased criteria for national unity and social justice in a heterogeneous nation like Nigeria.
He asserted that Ohanaeze Ndigbo is calling for the urgent withdrawal of the bill and for it to be reviewed in consideration of ethnic differences, cultural sensitivity, geopolitical balance, inclusive governance and equitable representation.
The group maintained that only by doing so would the bill foster national unity, peaceful coexistence and social stability.
In a similar vein, the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has also expressed firm opposition to the bill, describing it as an attempt to institutionalise the Sultan of Sokoto as the permanent co-chairman of the revered council.
The group, through its national spokesperson, Luka Binniyat, argued that historically the Sokoto Caliphate is a relatively young institution compared to the ancient kingdoms and confederacies in the Middle Belt, citing the Kwararafa ancient royal stool as an example.
The group further argued that there is no way the Sultan of Sokoto can supersede the Aku of Wukari in status, let alone sit over him in the council.
The spokesperson added that the Sultan is primarily a religious figurehead and not a secular traditional ruler, noting that giving him a permanent position would alienate Christians and traditional worshippers.
The group, in its statement, insisted that if the Senate went ahead to pass the bill into law, it would mobilise all ethnic nationalities across the Middle Belt to boycott participation in the council.
