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Buhari treats Ndigbo as second class citizens, Ohanaeze cries

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Buhari treats Ndigbo as second class citizens, Ohanaeze cries

The newly-elected President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, has decried what he said is the present administration’s treatment of the eastern part of the country as second class citizens in Nigeria.

According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari has been truthful to his public declaration that his appointments must favour the states that voted overwhelmingly for him by ensuring that no arm of government, executive, judiciary or legislature is headed by an Igbo.

Nwodo also lamented that the president has ensured that ministries with lean capital votes are the ones assigned to Ndigbo.

Nwodo stated this on Thursday during the first meeting of the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Enugu State.

He said, “No arm of government namely, the Executive, Judiciary or Legislature is headed by an Igbo. No section of the Armed Forces or paramilitary organisation is headed by an Igbo, neither the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal nor is the Federal High Court headed by an Igbo.

“We know in the history of this country when a Lieutenant Colonel was appointed to the position of Chief of General Staff over and above his superiors just to ensure ethnic balance. We know when a Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation was appointed Chief Justice of Nigeria was to ensure ethnic balance. We know when a former Military Head of State was drafted to run for president was to douse ethnic tensions.

“What is very perturbing is the public declaration of Mr President that his appointments must favour the states that voted overwhelmingly for him and those he trusts even against the provisions of our constitution relating to federal character. One is at sea why Ndigbo who campaigned and voted for him appear not to be trusted.

“No wonder, the ministers with lean capital votes are the ones assigned to Ndigbo. No wonder, he nominated ambassadors for confirmation to the National Assembly naming three ambassadors for some states and only one ambassador for each of the Igbo states. It’s no wonder, one year and eight months into his tenure as president; he has not visited any Igbo state.”

Read also: Saraki, Ekweremadu, Utazi clash over Buhari sending troops to The Gambia

While Nwodo, regardless of all the anomalies he listed, extended the hands of fellowship of Ohanaeze to President Buhari in order to visit him with his executive members to see how the perceived errors could be amended, he called on Ndigbo to stop their on-going lamentations over marginalisation by other Nigerians.

He promised to meet with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Emancipation of Biafra (MASSOB), two of the major groups in the region calling for secession, to fashion the best way to resolve the Igbo question in Nigeria.

Nwodo added, “This brings me to the rise of MASSOB and IPOB, both organisations no matter how divided they appear in public are basically motivated by the same sense of outrage and bitterness. Our young men and women cannot tolerate a second class status in their country.”

The emergence of Nwodo as President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has been challenged in the courts but a group of elders led by Professor Ben Nwabueze is reaching out to ensure cohesion and stabilization of the leadership.

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0 Comments

  1. Roland Uchendu Pele

    January 20, 2017 at 4:57 pm

    “President Muhammadu Buhari has been truthful to his public declaration that his appointments must favour the states that voted overwhelmingly for him.”

    When the President said this in 2015, I knew he wasn’t kidding. Buhari is a strong-hearted man, and would stand by his words no matter what!

    • Margret Dickson

      January 20, 2017 at 6:16 pm

      Buhari is not strong-hearted, but extremely heartless. Are Igbos not part of Nigeria too? More of the things Nigeria survive are from Igbos, yet, Mr President is behaving like he’s not aware of the existence of the Igbos. 2019 is almost here when his tenure will be over.

      • JOHNSON PETER

        January 20, 2017 at 8:09 pm

        And what will happen in 2015? No matter what, igbos can’t stop buhari from winning in 2019 if he chooses to re-contest again.

      • Balarabe musa

        January 20, 2017 at 9:22 pm

        Did you just say that more of the things we enjoy in Nigeria are from igbos? What are those things , pls enumerate them.

  2. Animashaun Ayodeji

    January 20, 2017 at 4:57 pm

    But, should Buhari be blamed for this? Absolutely NO! The Igbos openly didn’t support Buhari. When Buhari won, the Igbos started war against him, the Igbos are the militants causing setback for Nigeria’s economy, the igbos are the ones fighting for Biafra… why do you now think the Igbos deserve any top position in the country? When you people start cooperating, Buhari will reconsider you people like the prodigal son (may be).

    • seyi jelili

      January 20, 2017 at 8:36 pm

      The Igbos caused this themselves, but as a matured president , he shouldn’t have pay them back . He should have given them some key portfolios , even with that, he might win their supports in 2019.

  3. Balarabe musa

    January 20, 2017 at 10:13 pm

    I see no reason for this talk. If you had voted for buhari, you would have enjoyed too. Serve you right. That is politics for you.

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