Okpe Union, the oldest registered ethnic nationality organization in Nigeria has recommended that the country should be having 15 States and not the 36 States the country is currently having.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Okpe Union was established on May 16, 1930 and registered on December 13, 1934 under the Land (Perpetual Succession) Ordinance of 1924.
Okpe Union’s President General, Prof. Igho Natufe made the recommendation on Friday in Lagos at a news conference held as part of activities to mark the union’s 95th Anniversary and General Assembly.
“As a framework for a restructured federal Nigeria, we propose the following:
“The creation of homogeneous federating states for the 15 most populous ethnic nationalities that have contiguous boundaries, respectively.
“These federating units will be 15 homogeneous ethnic-based states for the Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Okpe, Tiv, among others, “ Natufe said.
He reiterated the union’s call for state police, restoration of true federalism and good governance, and also called for the proposed national population census to be conducted by employing best technology.
According to him, this is to avoid past outcomes where exercises did not command the confidence of many parts of the country and Nigerians as to their credibility.
He also urged the National Assembly and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to work in synergy to ensure a timely review of the country’s Electoral Laws and regulations.
He urged both bodies to ensure that the votes of Nigerians in all parts of the country would truly count in the 2027 presidential elections.
Natufe urged political leaders to ensure welfare of citizens and stability of the Nigerian polity.
“It is with good governance, which in turn translates to improved well-being of the people that increases confidence the people will have in the democratic process which we must acknowledge, has not been very high amongst the people of Nigeria in recent times, “ he said.
The leader said the union would continue to strive for a stronger Okpe nation and explore ways and means to curtail the educational deficits of Okpe people, in national and foreign educational institutions.
“Toward this end, the following shall be pursued vigorously: the teaching of Okpe Language in all primary and post primary educational institutions; it will include the privately owned schools.
“Also, the use of Okpe language in all places of worship in Okpe, Delta shall be encouraged, “ Natufe said.
TNG reports Okpe is one of the major tribes in Delta State, southern Nigeria.