NIGERIA; FEDERAL GOVERNMENT QUERIES ODIMEGWU FOR DISCREDITING PAST CENSUSES.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has issued a query to the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Chief Festus Odimegwu, over his recent comments discrediting past censuses, especially the 2006 census, that have been conducted in the country.

The former Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc had at a press conference early this month cast doubts on the result of the last nationwide census conducted in 2006 in which Kano was declared the most populous state in the country, adding that Nigeria had not conducted a credible census since the country started conducting censuses in 1816.

He had said Nigeria’s census figures were regularly distorted for selfish reasons: “Nigeria has run on falsehood for too long. We must stop this falsehood and put a stop to all of this. Because the 2006 census was not correct, the former board of NPC was unable to publish the figures. If they try it, there will be uproar.”

But his comments came under heavy criticism from political heavyweights from the northern part of the country, with the Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, describing his appointment as a mistake and called for his sack.
Kwanwkaso had wondered why someone who only had alcohol as his credentials throughout his career was appointed to head a sensitive government commission like the NPC in the first place.

In reaction to the fallout from Odimegwu’s comment, THISDAY learnt that President Goodluck Jonathan bowed to intense pressure from some northern groups who felt offended by his comments and directed Anyim to invite him for an explanation.
A competent source in the Office of the SGF confirmed that a query was issued to him (Odimegwu) yesterday to explain his comments on the 2006 population.

The source however dismissed false reports yesterday that the NPC boss had been suspended, saying, “It can't be true. There is no iota of truth in that.

“He was only issued this query to explain some newspaper reports where he was quoted to have made certain statements with regard to the 2006 census.”

When contacted on the query, Odimegwu did not respond to THISDAY’s phone calls but one of his aides confirmed that his boss was queried over his comments.

He said: “The NPC chairman has received the query from the SGF but he was not suspended. As a respecter of constituted authority, he intends to respond to the query immediately.”

The north has always emerged as the most populous section of the country in past censuses, with Kano as the most populous state.
However, most results have often been rejected by other sections of the country, with states like Lagos contesting the results churned out by the NPC.

Counting of residents of a state has been a very emotional and politically volatile issue in Nigeria for various reasons, chief of which is that population figures and the number of local governments are used as determinants in the allocation of funds from the Federation Account.