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Another demonstration of the fact that South East leaders lacked strategic political intelligence that can help in driving home their demands’ played out at Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, Anambra State capital, the venue of the group’s summit on Monday.

Political analysts’ who had been following the direction of thoughts and several other build ups ahead of 2019 election, had expected the social-political group to discuss how to get involved in the emerging activities of 2019 general election so as to avoid the current tight corner the region found itself in the current government.

Currently, the likes of Ohaneze in other key tribes of the country including Afrnifere and Arewa are working underground to see how they can partner with others in making sure that a president that will see to their plights and developments won election next year.

Only recently, some political leaders met with the leadership of Afenifere and similar meetings had been going on in the North ahead of 2019 and the Ohaneze are discussing issues that ordinarily cannot be on the table now because nobody is thinking along the lines of resturcuting and the national assembly cannot call for such in an election year.

Analysts say even though issues around restructuring and new state creation is very important, what is more nationally important now remains the 2019 election.

Rather, former Central Bank Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, presented the position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on restructuring knowing full well that the hottest issue of national importance now in Nigeria remains how to align or realign in the build up to 2019 election after all.

Soludo, who heads Ohaneze National Restructuring Committee, argued that the proposition would create a peaceful and progressive country even as he blamed some of the grievances across the country on a poor political structure.

According to him, “We demand a new constitution. We demand a constitutional conference backed by law, enacted by the National Assembly, where the people of Nigeria will agree on a new, truly federal constitution. A constituent assembly should be formed to agree on a new constitution for a new Nigeria. Such a constitution, the people’s constitution, should be approved by the people of Nigeria through a referendum to give it legitimacy and validity.”

Among other demands, the summit called for a six-year tenure for the president, five vice presidents to be appointed from the geopolitical zones, rotation of the presidency among the zones, scrapping of the local government system, and creation of additional states for the Southeast.The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, said all the arms of the body accepted the recommendations by the committees that drafted the resolution.

According to him, Nigeria needs a constitution because the current constitution is “dead.”Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, said there was no better time for a conversation aimed at strengthening the unity of Nigeria than now.

He said what Ndigbo want from the country is a sociopolitical arrangement that “must ensure a just, fair and equitable federation where all citizens are guaranteed the freedom to be the best they can be and aspire to the highest position in the land, regardless of tribe, culture or religion.”

“I have combed the pages of history and our contemporary times. And I boldly declare that I did not find a perfect human society anywhere. Every nation on earth is a work in progress. Citizens of both advanced and developing countries continue to ask their countries hard questions that will lead them to a better federation, a better nation and a better society. And Nigeria cannot be an exception to this rule. So, we must ask Nigeria hard questions too.”

Dignitaries at the summit include Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu; former governors, Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Olusegun Mimiko; Obi of Onitsha, Nnamemeka Achebe; former Minister, Jerry Gana; and former presidential candidate, Chief Olu Falae who is the convener of SDP.