OPC Slams Igbo Leaders’ Demand To Shift 2027 Elections, Jettison 6-Region Structure
The Igbo Leaders of Thought, ILT’s recent demand for the temporary suspension of the 2027 general elections pending the completion of the restructuring of Nigeria and the adoption of a new Constitution has been opposed by the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC).
The ILT had rejected the communiqué issued at an Abuja restructuring conference of August 20, 2026, in Abuja, accusing the organisers of disregarding the position of the Igbo delegation.
However, the Yoruba socio-political group would have none of this.
Reacting to the issue, Deputy National Secretary of the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) Worldwide, Otunba Babatunde Adenle Gureje Thompson, submitted: “This so-called Igbo Leaders of Thought coming up with the vulgar idea of suspending the 2027 elections amounts to complete selfishness and insensitivity. We say NO in totality to their backward and retrogressive suggestion.
“These look like people who don’t believe in their region’s growth and find it very difficult to bring their own region together as one.”
Additionally, the ILT group proposed the jettisoning of the six-region political structure for the country and the adoption of one having 10 segments.
Thompson fired back, saying that the current six-region structure had the backing of eminent Igbo leaders like Second Republic Vice President Alex Ekwueme.
He said: “It’s very surprising that some amorphous group, tagging itself Igbo Leaders of Thought, will reject the present framework of six geopolitical developmental regions that is fast becoming accepted and institutionalised in the country’s socio-political environment and has served adequately as the administrative basis for organising the country’s 36 states.
“Ironically, recognised Igbo leaders like the Second Republic Vice President Alex Ekwueme joined other eminent Nigerians to propose this six-region structure. And their visionary move has indeed helped to settle some fundamental issues relating to the structuring of the country.”
However, OPC backed ILT’s demand for regional control of resources and regional police.
Thompson posited: “Every of the six regions should be in control its own resources, while contributing to the Centre Abuja. This is what the Founder of the Oodua People’s Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasehun clamoured for –restructuring and resource control– and that is the agenda that this present crop of OPC leaders will queue behind.”
OPC went on to contest the validity of the current Constitution, having been handed down by the Military.
Thompson said: “We shall continue to insist that Nigerians do not yet have a people-created Constitution because the 1999 document we carry today was handed to us by the Military. The true representatives of Nigerians must come together in a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to forge an acceptable document that adequately encapsulates the basis of their togetherness as one indivisible nation under God, where no man will be oppressed nor feel oppressed, and where each unit can grow unhindered at its own pace according to its people’s unique aspirations and God-given resources.”
