*Insists on restructuring, rotational presidency

*Laments poor health facility

*Says state of education deplorable

By JOHN NWOKOCHA, Abuja

Elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has announced his exit from partisan politics as he marks his 79th birthday.

He said he was quitting politics to pave way for younger generation of leaders.

Nevertheless, Iwuanyawu, who is also the Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Council of Elders, pledged to continue to serve the people.

He explained that he went into partisan politics and aspired for the office of the President with the intention of fixing Nigeria someday. He urged future Nigerian leaders to continue from where he stopped, draw lessons from his experience and wisdom and continue to struggle for a better Nigeria.

The multi-gifted industrialist, philanthropist and politician spoke on Wednesday, expressing gratitude to God for what he called “the amazing grace of God upon me that has kept me alive all these years”.

The elder statesman who turns 79 years on September 4, added that the Amazing Grace of God also propelled him towards making great achievements in various spheres of human endeavour from Politics to Engineering, Publishing, Sports, Aviation, Shipping, Banking, Agriculture, Philanthropy, Industry, and indeed big business.

Iwuanyanwu said: “At 79 I wish to therefore officially announce my exit from partisan politics to pave way for the younger generation of leaders I have been able to groom and mentor who will now carry on with my legacies and political philosophy.

“But before I take a bow in politics, I wish to put on record once again my key thoughts on several national questions that are yearning for answers which were the main reasons I ventured into politics and actually aspired for the office of the President of Nigeria trice with the hope of fixing Nigeria one day.

“Unfortunately, providence was not on my side to be President of Nigeria. The younger generation of leaders can through these little views of mine, draw wisdom from my wealth of experience and continue with the struggle for a better Nigeria (in the context of partisan politics) from where I stopped. I will however continue to serve my people as an Elder Statesman and in my capacity as the Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Council of Elders”.

The elder statesman while expressing what he calls “MY KEY THOUGHTS ON BURNING NATIONAL ISSUES” said that restructuring the country to ensure devolution of powers to the federating units is panacea to political stability in Nigeria. He contended that Nigeria needs to have strong federating units and a week centre. He argued that with strong federating units “everybody will leave Abuja and go back to their regions/states and develop the place, people will now pursue opportunities in their respective states and not in Abuja”. It is Iwuanyanwu’s belief that under such a system, local government areas would be made very functional to bring opportunities and development closer to the people, adding that the agitation against injustice, marginalization and tribalism would all cease.

According to him “because every region is developing at their own pace with what proceeds from their soil and based on how they have been able to maximize and manage the proceeds from their respective regions”.

Iwuanyanwu lamented the nation’s deplorable state of education saying: “It saddens my heart to see the deplorable state of our educational system today.”

He tasked the federal government to create a functional educational system as the way forward for Nigeria’s education, stating that it “can match courses read in the tertiary institutions with the exiting needs in the society as against the current curriculum that trains students for white collar jobs that are gradually becoming unavailable”.

On healthcare delivery, Iwuanyawu said: “The sorry state of our health care system is becoming very worrisome. Even our ruling class today is not confident using the health care services in the country. Rather they embark on numerous exorbitant medical tourism abroad at the expense of tax payers. Nigerians of all class deserve quality health care delivery that was what moved me to float the Iwuanyanwu National Ambulance Foundation in 1981”. He therefore called on government to address the situation saying: “The government must now ensure health care delivery is given national priority”.

Also on infrastructure, the elder statesman picked hole in the policy inconsistency and challenged government to reverse the collapse of infrastructure. “I therefore urge the Federal Ministry of works to ensure full compliance to the various engineering test requirements essential for the contractors to produce high quality and durable pavement”.

He also spoke on security saying insecurity in Nigeria can only be curtailed when the security architecture of the country is restructured to create room for state police.

On economy he said there was to grow the nation’s economy by looking beyond crude oil. As he puts it: “There is need for us to commence building an economy beyond crude oil.

“The massive waste and excessive borrowing in government is also becoming very alarming. The debt profile of this country has risen to a shocking level that I always wonder if any future government will be able to pull Nigeria out of this predicament. The government of the day must now cut down on excessive borrowing and rather cut down the cost of governance.”

Iwuanyawu spoke on industrialization, agriculture, corruption/national conscience and youth development and job creation at the occasion in which he relieved his Nigeria-Biafra war experience as a youth.

He challenged the government to harness the untapped potential of Nigerian youths through providing them opportunity/enabling environment to make their marks in their chosen field of endeavor, because it will result in Nigeria rising to stardom in the comity of Nations, adding “with so many technological inventions and discoveries that these same youths exhibit only when they find themselves outside the shores of this country simply because the support system was made available to them abroad”.

A holder of national honours like, Member of the Federal Republic (MFR), Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) and Grand Chancellor of State of Imo (GCSI), Iwuanyawu disclosed that his achievements have been well documented in his authorized biography; “Amazing Grace” that will be officially unveiled on my 80th birthday next year.