Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Ohanaeze Ndigbo had expressed fury over the zoning of the Deputy Speakership of the House of Representatives to the South-East by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, which described the action of the ruling APC as insulting and provocative, said it was a further proof that the APC had no regard for the Igbo.
Ohanaeze in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, directed National Assembly members-elect of Igbo extraction to place the interest of the race above party sentiments at the forthcoming election of the principal officers of both chambers.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural body argued that excluding the South-East from the kay political offices in the country was a further proof that Nigeria was not yet ready to integrate the tribe.
Below is a full text of the statement made available to Ikengaonline:
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has watched with grave concern the zoning of principal officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 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 the Deputy Speaker to the South-East is 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 discretions irrespective of state, religion or ethnicity.”
Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is from the South-West while his Vice Kashim Shettima is from the North-East.
The APC zoned the Senate Presidency to the South-South, and both the Deputy Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to North-West.
It, however, zoned the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives to the South-East.
In the current ninth National Assembly, South-East was completely excluded from the power equation of the country including the Executive arm of Government.
So far, Tinubu has made nine appointments including his Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, since his inauguration on Monday, and nobody from the South-East has been considered.
