The Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT) have proposed a major restructuring of Nigeria into 10 autonomous regions, alongside a temporary suspension of the 2027 general elections until the restructuring process is completed. The proposal was contained in a position paper dated September 16, 2026, and reported by Vanguard.
The group says the restructuring exercise should be completed before May 2027, with elections subsequently held under the new constitutional arrangement. It described the proposed suspension as an “act of necessity” intended to allow Nigerians to determine a new political and constitutional framework.
Under the proposal, Nigeria would have 10 regions instead of the current 36-state structure, with five coastal regions in the South and five riparian regions in the North. The proposed regions would broadly reflect ethno-linguistic and cultural groupings, although the ILT acknowledged that boundaries and regional composition would require negotiation.
The leaders are also calling for greater regional control of resources. Their proposal would return ownership and control of resources to the regions, with the regions contributing an agreed share to fund the Federal Government. They also proposed regional police as part of a wider restructuring of Nigeria’s military and security architecture.
The ILT further supports giving regional governments greater authority over internal affairs while reducing the concentration of powers at the centre. It proposed abolishing the concurrent legislative list and dividing responsibilities between federal and regional governments through exclusive and residual powers.
The group also called for regional or nationwide referendums to allow Nigerians to determine the constitutional arrangement they want. It argued that restructuring should be based on dialogue and the principle of self-determination for Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities.
The proposal comes amid broader debate over the future of Nigeria’s federal system. Earlier in September, the ILT had called for the 2027 elections to be free, fair and credible, warning that Nigerians would not accept what it described as flawed election results.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) currently lists the nationwide presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, followed by governorship and state House of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027. The ILT’s proposal would therefore require a significant change to the existing electoral timetable and constitutional process.
The ILT has also linked restructuring to questions of economic development, security, political representation and the distribution of resources, arguing that greater regional autonomy could allow different parts of Nigeria to pursue development according to their circumstances.
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