Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called for a single six-year tenure for the offices of president and vice president of Nigeria, the scrapping of local governments and the creation of additional states for the South-East before any consideration for the creation of more states in other parts of the country.

Other demands listed by the group during its much publicized summit on restructuring held in Awka, Anambra State on Monday include a national conversation, a new constitution, convocation of a constituent assembly and the rotation of the presidency among the geopolitical zones of the country.

This was as the numerous threats and plots by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to scuttle the summit were foiled by security agents, as the pro-Biafra group was overwhelmed by the presence of hundreds of fierce-looking security personnel in the state capital.

Heavy presence of the police officers was noticed on Sunday night around the Alex Ekwueme Square, venue of the summit, even as bomb detonation experts lined  several routes

Thousands of  people who tried to enter the venue were thoroughly searched while those who could not identify themselves were denied access. Many of them later staged a peaceful protest outside the venue.

There was pandemonium moments later when some of those who managed to enter the arena started shouting down the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Professor Chukwuma Soludo as he presented the position of the Igbo on the issue of restructuring.

With defeaning shouts of no, many youths and women walked out of the arena, with some of them shouting that they did not want restructuring, but Biafra Republic. Their departure, however, did not stop the summit from continuing and ending successfully.

In his response, President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo said all the arms of Ohanaeze have accepted the recommendations made by the various committees that drafted the stand of Ndigbo on restructuring.

On his own part, Chairman of the occasion, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu observed that there should be a time to pause and relect into the past, reflect on the present and peep into the future in the life of every nation.

He affirmed that although the Igbo had a great past and was constituted of a great people who championed Nigeria’s independence, they have not had a fair deal in the governance of Nigeria.

“The Federal Government should be grateful to Ohanaeze Ndigbo for coming up with the programme for the restructuring of the country for the benefit of all. When Abuja was being created, we were told that there would be no issue of indigeneship. Now, it is rearing up its head and nobody is doing anything about it.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano observed that in the past 58 years, the Igbo had worked tirelessly with other Nigerians to lay the foundation for a better country and a more perfect union.

Obiano said: “We have made the most sacrifices and more often than not, we have also paid the supreme price for the unity of this country. But we have made these sacrifices in the belief that in the contemporary history of mankind, the road to nationhood is often paved with the blood of patriots.

“Indeed, Ndigbo have paid the price for Nigeria’s greatness. We paid in blood. We paid in full! We must ask for a just, fair and equitable federation where every citizen is guaranteed the freedom to be the best he can be and to aspire to the highest position in the land regardless of his tribe, culture or religion. This is what Nigeria in its present structure has not given to us!”

After presentations, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who is the chairman of South East caucus in the Senate moved a motion for the adoption of the recommendations and was carried by voice vote by the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Mrs. Rita Maduagwu.

Notable dignitaries present at the summit were Senator Ike Nwachukwu, Professor Pat Utomi, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Chief Edwin Clarke, Professor Jerry Gana, Dr. Ihechukwu Madubuike and Senator Victor Umeh.

Others were Dr. Joe Nwogu, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga, Professor Banji Akintoye, Chief Victor Akerele, Chief Yinka Odumakin, Senator Femi Okorounmu and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.as well as dignitaries from the Niger Delta, Afenifere, Middle Belt Forum and Igbo in Diaspora.