The Igbo Patriots, a coalition of dedicated advocates for justice, equity, and the full reintegration of ndi Igbo into the Nigerian project, received with deep dismay the announcement of the newly inaugurated eight‑member National Population Census Committee. To say we are disappointed is an understatement—we are outraged.
According to credible reports, this committee, tasked with overseeing a census that will determine Nigeria’s future in resource allocation, political representation, and national planning, is lopsidedly constituted as follows:
South West: 5 members
North Central: 2 members
North West: 1 member
South East, South South, North East: 0 members
This composition is not only imbalanced; it is unjustifiable, insensitive, and utterly unacceptable.
The National Census is a constitutional exercise that involves all Nigerians regardless of region or ethnicity. To deny the South East even a single seat at this table is to silence millions whose voices deserve to shape the planning and allocation of our schools, hospitals, roads, and legislative constituencies.
We therefore call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to:
- Immediately dissolve or reconstitute the current Census Committee.
- Appoint qualified representatives from the South East, South South, and North East to ensure fair geopolitical balance and uphold the Federal Character Principle.
- Restore credibility and public trust in a process that must be manifestly seen to be inclusive, transparent, and impartial.
Let us be clear on this: ndi Igbo are not second‑class citizens in Nigeria. We will resist any attempt to make us feel that way. We have contributed immensely to Nigeria’s growth in every sector—business, academia, public service, the armed forces, and the arts.
Our exclusion from such a critical national exercise is more than an administrative oversight; it is a dangerous provocation. It fuels mistrust, stokes alienation, and reinforces the belief that the Igbo nation is being systematically erased.
Furthermore, we call on the following Igbo leaders to reject this injustice and speak boldly in defense of their people:
Governor Hope Uzodinma (Imo State)
Governor Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi State)
Senator David Umahi (Minister of Works)
Senator Onyekachi Peter Nwaebonyi
Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu (Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives)
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu
Senator Osita Izunaso
Hon Uche Nnaji. Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST).
Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (Minister of State for Labour and Employment) and other APC chieftains of Southeast extraction.
This is the time to stand up for the Igbo nation over and above political considerations. And History will remember who stood for Igbo interest and who stood aside to watch as a spectator for personal political interests
We make this demand because it is the right thing to do. But, if this injustice is not immediately addressed, the Igbo Patriots will escalate this matter to regional and international bodies, including ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations. Furthermore, we will mobilize ndi Igbo to boycott the planned national census as a protest. Ndi Igbo will not lend their support to a process designed to further marginalise our interest.
We will not remain silent. We will not be minimised to a dot as earlier indicated.
We demand inclusion , and to be allowed to occupy our rightful place in the scheme of things in Nigeria.
Long live the Igbo nation.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
SIGNED:
Amb. Jeff Ndubueze
Convener, The Igbo Patriots,
PRESS RELEASE
Date: April 20, 2025
