Top Appointments: Anger Rises As South-east Is Left Out In All Positions

By Charles Igbo

The South-east Region of Nigeria, politically, made up of five States, has lost out in  appointments into top political offices in the All Progressives Congress, APC- controlled Federal Government.

From the Executive to the Legislature, the South-east came out empty-handed.

The appointment, on Thursday, June 2, by President Bola Tinubu, of the outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as his Chief of Staff, and the immediate past Minister for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, George Akume, as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, sealed the hope of the South-east to get any of the top positions. And anger has risen in the Zone.

The South-east did not put its heart on getting the position  of the CoS, but it had thought it would get that of the SGF, having lost out in the Presidential seat.

Since the Government of the APC in 2015, the South-east had looked forward to, at least, the office of the SGF which it occupied during the Government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

It had hoped it could get that, especially, as its two sons – Dr Ogbonnaya Onu and Rochas Okorocha, leaders of the defunct ANPP and a factory of APGA, at the time, respectively –  led their Parties to form the foundation of the APC.

Many had thought, at the time, that Dr. Onu was a perfect choice for the office. But he was, instead, given a non-Grade-A Ministry  – Science and Technology. Okorocha’s candidate, Professor of Education, Tony Anwuka, a former University Vice Chancellor, was made a junior Minister, Minister of State, Education. He worked under a Minister for Education, who confessed he never knew anything about Education until he was appointed a Minister.

In a few days time, when the  National Assembly is inaugurated, the marginalization of the Zone in the sharing of plum offices would, finally, be complete.

For the National Assembly top offices, the South-east had taken it for granted that it would get the office of the Senate President. Three of their sons were pushing for it – incumbent Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, a former National Organising Secretary of the APC, Senator Osita Izunaso, and the immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi.

However, both President Bola Tinubu and the Party, have since pulled the rug from under the South East Aspirants, and endorsed former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, and the immediate past Minister for the Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio, for the plum office.

To the South-east, when compared to what the other Zones got, the lowly office of the Deputy Speaker was zoned to it.

Umahi has since quit the race and disclosed that the President asked him to step down for Akpabio. But both Kalu and Izunaso are still in the race, refusing to step down. But, not a few people think it is a waste of time, insisting that with the backing of the Presidency and the Party, Akpabio will carry the day. Kalu and Izunaso will be defeated.

Disenchanted by the zoning arrangement of the ruling party, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has rejected the position of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives zoned to the South-east. It described it as insulting and provocative and so, directed all Igbo National Assembly – elects, to vote their conscience irrespective of State, religion or ethnicity.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze said it has “watched with grave concern, the zoning of Principal Officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and is dissatisfied with the continued marginalization of Igbo in the scheme of things in Nigeria.”

It added: “We have also observed that the All Progressives Congress, (APC), zoned the position of the Deputy Speaker to the South-east of Nigeria.

“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo states that allocating the position of Deputy Speaker to the South-east remains highly unreflective, disgusting and provocative to the Igbo.

“To this end, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by Chief Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, CFR, (Ahaejiagamba), directs all the Igbo Lawmakers in the 10th National Assembly to vote according to their discretion, irrespective of State, religion or ethnicity.”

For the records, the APC controls two of the five South-east States – Ebonyi and Imo. The party controls only one State in the South -South –  Cross River State.