…calls for a policy agenda for national inclusion
By Anayo Okoli
ENUGU – A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Linus Okorie, who represented Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency, has said that Nigeria’s unity and progress are being undermined by systemic exclusion and ethnic profiling, particularly against the Igbo.
Okorie expressed concern that this situation has worsened the challenges of hyperinflation, hunger, insecurity, and unemployment currently facing millions of Nigerians. He noted with regret what he described as infrastructural imbalance and minimal political appointments allotted to the Southeast.
Reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day address, Okorie said the cancellation of this year’s celebrations reflected the depth of hardship and discontent in the country. While acknowledging the government’s economic projections, he stressed that statistics offered little comfort to citizens grappling with severe living conditions.
He further criticized what he termed inequities in federal appointments and projects, citing disparities in road construction allocations and the exclusion of the Southeast from the national gas pipeline infrastructure despite its resource contributions.
On the Lagos International Trade Fair demolitions, Okorie described the exercise as economically damaging to traders, warning that such actions contribute to ethnic tension and undermine national cohesion.
The former lawmaker also raised concerns about political developments, alleging that the weakening of opposition parties and institutions risked creating a one-party system. On foreign policy, he faulted the government for missing opportunities to attract investment by not attending recent United Nations General Assembly sessions.
To address these challenges, Okorie proposed a policy agenda for national inclusion, calling for equitable infrastructure distribution, strict compliance with federal character provisions, and a move toward restructuring for true federalism.
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