Former Minister of Information and ex-President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nnia Nwodo, has raised alarm over Nigeria’s precarious political future, warning that the country could disintegrate before the 2027 general elections if urgent steps are not taken to restructure the federation.

Delivering a keynote lecture titled ‘How Did We Get Here?’ on Wednesday in Abuja, Nwodo decried what he described as a unitary system masquerading as federalism, which he said has failed to address Nigeria’s multi-layered challenges.

He stated, “Nigeria must restructure and give its component units sovereignty over its natural resources; in this way, true democracy will evolve, and the speed of development will increase.”

Nwodo, speaking at the public presentation of two books by veteran journalist, Ike Abonyi, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, warned that unless power is devolved and fiscal federalism is adopted, Nigeria may face a constitutional crisis ahead of 2027.

He said, “If restructuring does not happen before the 2027 elections, some regions may boycott the polls or reject the results. If it does not happen, we will have no alternative but to go our separate ways.”

He called for urgent reforms to grant resource control to states, with the federal government retaining powers only over matters such as defence, customs, and foreign affairs.

The former Ohanaeze leader also highlighted Nigeria’s deteriorating socioeconomic conditions, citing high youth unemployment, worsening poverty, and poor infrastructure.

Referencing the UN World Population Prospects 2025 report, Nwodo stated that Nigeria now has the lowest life expectancy in the world, at 54.8 years. He also quoted World Bank data estimating that over $1 billion is lost annually to bad roads.

“Our current system is unsustainable. The numbers are dire, and they point to a society heading towards collapse if nothing changes,” he warned.

Secondus Accuses Tinubu Of ‘Liquidating’ Democracy

Also speaking at the event, former PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, lashed out at President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of presiding over the ‘gradual liquidation’ of Nigeria’s democracy and economy.

“We don’t have democracy in our country. What we have is a platform for winning elections,” Secondus said.

He criticised the lack of ideological direction among Nigerian political parties, contrasting them with South Africa’s ANC, which he described as an enduring political force.

Renowned journalist and former Guardian MD, Martins Oloja, who reviewed the two books, “The Bubbles of Nigeria’s Democracy: The Musings of a Nigerian Journalist” and “Wadata Wonders: Memoirs of a Partisan Journalist”, praised Abonyi for embracing partisan journalism as a tool for change.

“In a functional democracy, the presence of alternative views is crucial… It promotes critical thinking and builds a more equitable society,” Oloja said.

Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was also present at the book launch, sparking renewed speculation over possible political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections.

Although Obi declined to make any public remarks at the event, political watchers viewed his presence alongside top PDP figures as significant.

Also in attendance were Mohammed Hayatu-Deen and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who was represented by PDP Governors’ Forum Director-General, Emmanuel Agbo.