FORMER Anambra State governor Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife has dismissed the
appointment of Dr Ibe Kachikwu as the group managing director of the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as inadequate compensation to Ndigbo by
the Buhari administration.
Earlier this month, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Dr Kachikwu, from
the Igb0-speaking part of Delta State as the new head of the NNPC. Prior to his
appointment, Ndigbo had alleged that the Buhari administration was marginalising
them when it came to appointments as very few of those appointed so far were
Igbo.
According to Dr Ezeife, the appointment still did not appease Igbos as it was
minor when compared with the number of appointments already made. Nigeria's
Igbo-speaking southeastern geo-political zone did not vote for President Buhari,
choosing instead to back former President Goodluck Jonathan's People's
Democratic Party.
Dr Ezeife said: “It is not atonement for the many neglects and insults that
have happened with the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and other agencies. How would a
president appoint people into key positions in Nigeria, yet none of them is
Igbo? What kind of thing is that?
“On merit, we have the best people in Nigeria and that is not boasting. On
motivation, it is the same thing, so if Buhari wants to ignore federal
character, we are not begging him for any appointment."
He added that Igbo's like Nigeria but one cannot insult and treat a group as
if they do not exist. Dr Ezeife also harped on about the emergence of principal
officers in the House of Representatives without any south-east
representation.
“Only a very insignificant minority of the Igbo people are saying that they
have packed all their eggs in one basket. They went for elections and voted as
they should and they are proud of it and they can repeat same tomorrow,” Dr
Ezeife added.
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