Date Published: 05/24/11

South East Governors, Ohaneze on War Path over SGF Position

Dr Alex Ekwueme, Chief Achike Udenwa, Dr Samuel Egwu, Senator Ben Obi and Others

The Governors of the South Eastern States comprising Abia, Imo, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi States and the leadership of the Ohaneze Ndigbo are now not at loggerheads over who has the right to pick who becomes the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, SGF which has been zoned to them.

Ohaneze Ndi Igbo had over the weekend submitted the names of former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, Professor Uzodinma Nwala of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ben Obumselu and Mr. Emeka Eze of the Bureau of Public Procurement as the nominees of the Igbos for the SGF position.

But Governors of the Igbo States alleged that it amounts to usurpation of the rights and privileges of the Governors for the Ohaneze Ndigbo to submit a list for a position zoned to the area without the knowledge and approval of the Governors.

A Governor of one of the South Eastern States who did not want his name mentioned because he was not authorized to officially speak on the issue told pointblanknews.com that, “when such an important decision is to be reached, we as the elected leaders of the people should be consulted but in this case, we were not consulted, we just saw the names on the pages of the newspapers which appeared like a slap on our faces. It is wrong,” the Governor of one of the South Eastern States lamented.

“We did not know where that list came from and who authorized it. I have called all my colleagues and no one seems to know who compiled the list and how Ohaneze Ndigbo arrived at the four names they shortlisted,” the Governor said.

Several groups such as Ohaneze Ndigbo, Aka Ikenga, Eastern Mandate Union and Eastern Leadership Forum have all laid claims to be representing the interest of the Igbo people.

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) had said in a statement that although 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.

But Second Republic politician Chief Guy Ikokwu, Chuba Egolum and Chief Hyde Onuaguluchi believe that the position of SGF as zoned to the South East will sway development to the zone.

Sources told Pointblanknews.com that at the moment, prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP from the South East zone have continued to mount pressure on the Governors to prevail on the Presidency to reject the names submitted by the Ohaneze Ndigbo.

A source revealed that former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Madueke is leading the calls for the rejection of the Ohaneze list insisting that the Igbo group should have followed due process by consulting PDP leaders in the zone.

“Ojo Madueke has been particularly angry over the list because he felt the decision to submit names for such position should have been left for the PDP South East and not a group,” the source told pointblanknews.com.

However, effort to reach Chief Madueke on the issue was not successful as his phone was switched off.