John Nwodo, a former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and former Minister of Information, has expressed new concerns about Nigeria's future, stating that if comprehensive constitutional reforms are not carried out immediately, the nation may disintegrate before the general elections in 2027.
Speaking as the keynote speaker at the Abuja book launch of two volumes written by seasoned journalist Ike Abonyi, Nwodo said that Nigeria's existing political structure was seriously defective. "What we do now is a disguised unitary constitution, not federalism," he stated.
Nwodo emphasized that to give regions more authority over their resources and internal issues, the power structure must be reviewed. "Let each region oversee its own development and resource management while paying taxes to support vital federal functions like immigration, customs, foreign affairs, and external defense."
He cautioned that there would be a serious repercussion if restructuring is not completed before the next national election. "There may be no election—and worse, no country—if we go into 2027 without resolving these structural imbalances."
Nwodo brought to the attention the worrying condition of public infrastructure and the deteriorating standard of living while citing Nigeria's economic difficulties. Poor infrastructure has caused the loss of billions of dollars every year. Today, life expectancy is among the lowest in the world. Our young people are dissatisfied and jobless. Something has to give.
He urged drastic changes and emphasized the importance of education, digital skills, and agricultural growth as top priorities to reviving the economy. "Education that takes into account the realities of today is the way of the future. Digital literacy should be a requirement for all Nigerian children. "We have to go back to farming and vocational education."
Political leaders, academics, and members of civil society attended the gathering, and many of them reiterated the need for immediate reform as a means of achieving stability and prosperity in the country.
