Opinion leaders and socio-political
associations in the South- East believe that Igbo were deliberately
denied ‘juicy’ ministries by President Muhammadu Buhari.
associations in the South- East believe that Igbo were deliberately
denied ‘juicy’ ministries by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Leaders of the foremost Igbo
socio-political body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and Njiko Igbo, another prominent
pan-Igbo association, described the portfolios assigned to Igbo
ministers as ‘disappointing.’
socio-political body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and Njiko Igbo, another prominent
pan-Igbo association, described the portfolios assigned to Igbo
ministers as ‘disappointing.’
Speaking with a Punch correspondent
on the telephone, President of Ohanaeze Youth Wing, Mazi Okechukwu
Isiguzoro, who spoke on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said Ogbonnaya Onu
and Chris Ngige deserved ‘more influential’ ministries than Science and
Technology, and Labour and Productivity, respectively.
on the telephone, President of Ohanaeze Youth Wing, Mazi Okechukwu
Isiguzoro, who spoke on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said Ogbonnaya Onu
and Chris Ngige deserved ‘more influential’ ministries than Science and
Technology, and Labour and Productivity, respectively.
Isiguzoro said,
“We are disappointed
that somebody of the calibre of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu was assigned to
Science and Technology ministry, even Dr. Chris Ngige should have been
appointed as the Health Minister instead of Labour and
Productivity.“Okechukwu Enalama should have been appointed Minister of
Finance.“Igbo ministers did not get juicy
portfolios, except perhaps Ibe Kachikwu and Rotimi Amaechi, who are our
brothers from the South-South.“We are not happy that we did not get the juicy portfolios, although we are happy that our brothers from the Niger Delta got.“Nevertheless, the era of impunity has gone and we expect all the Igbo
ministers to perform excellently.“We expect them to close ranks and work
towards developing Igboland.”
Also, President of Njiko Igbo, Reverend Okechukwu Obioha, said Buhari relegated Igbo ministers to the background in his cabinet.
But he admitted that the association was not surprised.He said,
“They are adding more salt to
the injury, we expected that. We can see that we (Igbo) are not wanted
in this country. At the moment, the sharing of the national cake is
between the North and the South-West.“What will Ngige be doing as Labour and
Productivity minister when the Federal Government is not employing
anyone, or creating jobs?“Even the Foreign Affairs portfolio that
was given to an Igboman (Geoffrey Onyeama) is of no consequence because
already Buhari has travelled to most of the countries and he will
continue to do so.“He has travelled in six months more than the
immediate past president travelled in six years.“So the Foreign Affairs
minister will just be a rubber stamp.“Buhari has taken the Ministry of
Petroleum Resources for himself, making an Igboman the Minister of
State.“So, he (Buhari) has virtually given the Igbo nothing.“But the
problem is this will lead to more agitation for Biafra,” Obioha said.