Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has strongly opposed a bill in the Senate proposing to permanently elevate the Ooni of Ife and Sultan of Sokoto as exclusive Co-Chairmen of the Traditional Rulers Council.
The group described the move as marginalising apex traditional rulers from other ethnic nationalities and geopolitical zones.
Dr Ezechi Chukwu, National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, stated this in a release on Sunday in Enugu.
The bill has reportedly passed second reading.
Chukwu said the group was astonished by the rationale behind what he termed an asymmetric bill, which he claimed disregards fairness, equity, justice, and the principle of Federal Character as outlined 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.”
“It lacks all the ethical considerations, objective metrics and unbiased categories for national unity and social justice in a pluralist nation-state like Nigeria,” he said.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo urged an immediate withdrawal of the bill and its review with consideration for ethnic diversity, cultural sensitivity, geopolitical balance, inclusive governance, and equitable representation.
“It is only by so doing shall the bill foster national unity, peaceful co-existence and social stability,” he added. (NAN)