Date Published: 05/12/11

Power Sharing: ELF tasks Ohaneze, South East Governors

Eastern Leaders Forum (ELF) yesterday called for a reversal of the laissez-faire attitude to the current under-cutting of Igbo interests in the national political arena, even as it called for redefining of the leadership structure of Ndigbo.

In a statement by Dr. Ifedi Okwenna, Secretary General of the ELF, who also doubles as the Chairman of the Ohaneze Ndigbo Political Committee in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), insisted that political leaders in Igbo land and South East governors must challenge the current zoning arrangement proposed by the Board of Trustee (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying it is a denigration of the Igbo people.

ELF maintained that it was unfortunate that rather than take pro-active measures and outrightly speak in condemnation of the move, state governors from the zone and leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo maintained mute disposition.

Although he said the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) is no small office, the problem with the position is that it further reduced the position of Ndigbo in the political equation from the fifth to sixth position.

He added that if the eventual occupier of the office is active and worked in the interest of Ndigbo, what he could garner in terms of development projects to the zone might even bring in better returns.

While insisting that somebody should take active control and wake up Ohaneze Ndigbo from slumber, he stressed that “the future generation of Ndigbo shall not forgive us for our inactivity’s of today”.

Said the ELF: “It is also important to know the content of that ‘Political Basket’ in which the SGF position is topmost. We want to know how many Grade A ministries are attached to it.

“Ndigbo must now demand that the strategic Ministry of Works, Defence, Interior, FCT, Agriculture and Water Resources, Transport etc are not denied them.

“We should use this denial of choice Ist-tier position to ensure the appointment basket is filled with other first Grade ministerial positions. It is only on this that Ndigbo would have been pacified and their toils rewarded.

“Also the decision to still leave the Acting National Chairman to preside over the affairs of PDP till March 2012 is unfortunate, self-serving and kill-joy.

“If the status quo ante is allowed to remain on zoning of offices, then the National Chairman of PDP must still be occupied by an Igboman till the expiration or have PDP suddenly crown Alhaji Haliru Bello an Igboman or has they conferred on him the beneficiary of Igbo bequest.

“That does not show good faith on the side of PDP and the President. I urge the Party to urgently reverse it and allow an Igboman finish the turn of Ndigbo as the National Chairman of PDP.

“The implication of their current decision if allowed to stand is that no single Igboman shall be in the National Working Committee of PDP till March 2012.

“This does not reward industry, but a promotion of mediocrity. Ndigbo shall not afford not to be part of PDP NWC for almost another full year. “Finally, I urge the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the South East caucus of the PDP, the South East Governors Forum etc to always be proactive in demanding for things that are due to Ndigbo.

“The current laissez-faire attitude is not good to political and economic growth of Ndigbo.

“Please lets redefine the leadership structure of Ndigbo ( if it is not yet defined) and let somebody take active control of this structure. The future generation of Ndigbo shall not forgive us for our inactivity’s of today”.