Former Minister of Information and ex-President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, has issued a stark warning that Nigeria may cease to exist before the 2027 general elections unless urgent constitutional restructuring is carried out.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, August 7, during the launch of two books authored by veteran journalist Ike Abonyi, Nwodo said Nigeria’s current governance model is a ticking time bomb.
“What we practice today is not federalism but a unitary constitution in disguise,” he declared.
He called for a return to true federalism, where each region controls its own resources and development, while contributing taxes for essential federal functions like defence, foreign affairs, customs, and immigration.
“Let each region manage its resources and development, while contributing taxes to fund essential federal responsibilities like external defence, foreign affairs, customs, and immigration,” Nwodo stated.
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Warning of a potential national crisis, he said, “If we head into 2027 without addressing these structural imbalances, there may be no election—and worse still, no country.”
The former minister painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s economy, pointing to decaying infrastructure and widespread poverty.
“We are bleeding billions annually due to poor infrastructure. Life expectancy is now one of the lowest globally. Our youth are unemployed and frustrated. Something must give,” he said.
Nwodo also urged a national focus on education, technology, and agriculture as tools to steer the country toward economic revival and stability.
“The future lies in education that meets today’s realities. Every Nigerian child should be digitally literate. We must return to agriculture and vocational training,” he said.
The event attracted key political figures, academics, and civil society leaders, many of whom echoed Nwodo’s call for sweeping reforms to avert a national collapse.