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From Magnus Eze, Enugu
A group of Igbo stakeholders under the platform of South East Concerned Groups, has admonished the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President-elect, Bola Tinubu, not to treat Igbo with contempt.
The group reiterated its resolve to defend the interest and fundamental rights of the South East Igbo.
It stated this in a communique after its critical review of the just concluded General Elections 2023, the outcomes, successes and failures, gains and losses and the overall national situation as they affect the Igbo race.
The group said it had intercepted a list purportedly containing the sharing pattern of the principal offices in the National Assembly and some chief cabinet positions in the incoming government.
The communique signed by the President, South East Concerned Groups, Dr. T. C. Onuegbu and Chairman, BOT, Mr. Ifeanyi Ezeh, condemned the flagrant marginalisation of the zone in the list said to have emanated from the stable of the President-elect.
It noted that not allotting the position of Senate president to the South East was against the spirit of federal character and principle of fairness, equity and justice.
The group identified former Abia State Governor and Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, as most qualified for the position of Senate President of the 10th National Assembly and urged Tinubu not to take the Igbo for granted.
Part of the communique read: “That if the document and the list of the names were truly from the president-elect, it ran contrary to equity, fairness and justice. And doesn’t represent one united Nigeria in all corners. It is therefore skewed and tilted to cronyism and absurdly continuation of the open marginalisation to Ndi-Igbo, which Major Gen. Muhammad Buhari administration typified.
“That the president-elect should respect the letter and spirit of doctrine of federal character as embedded in the Constitution of the Federal Government of Nigeria, 1999 as amended. That the fundamental human rights and privileges of other segments of tribes and races that made up one united Nigeria, should be the fundamental human rights and privileges of Ndi-Igbo in Nigeria, as contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
“That among the Igbo senators and National Assembly members who are returning back to the National Assembly, both the old brigades and the new brigades, Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the former governor of Abia State and the current Chief Whip of the Senate, being the most senior hierarchically, is better positioned to occupy the position of the Senate Presidency.
His Excellency Orji Uzor Kalu has the capacity to and experience to serve in the office of Senate President. He is detribalized and built allies across the nation, Nigeria.
“That the Igbo non-occupation of the office of Senate President is an abdication to the doctrine of the letters and spirit of federal character, which in effect is the suspension of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended…We, therefore, warn that the repetition of the system where Igbo race will be shut out of office in the key and principal positions in the democratic governance of Nigeria cannot be sustainable. We have equal stake and are bringing more to the table of the country’s economy and economic stimulus. We from the Eastern part of Nigeria (Igbo) have contributed and still contributing most to national development. And as such deserved equal representation in all facets of Nigeria’s democratic administration.”
The group expressed the optimism that the President-elect would not toe the path of ignominy being a democrat and socialite of note.
