How Nigerian Govt Is Marginalizing Igbos

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide accuses the federal government of marginalizing Igbos through fewer states, ministerial slots, and neglect in infrastructure development, along with the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has accused the federal government of marginalizing the Igbo people in Nigeria. The President General of the group, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, made this allegation in a statement released yesterday.

Chief Iwuanyanwu highlighted several points to support his claim, including:

1. The reduced number of states in the South East compared to other regions in the country.
2. The least number of ministerial slots, contrary to the federal character principle.
3. The continued incarceration of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
4. The destruction of Igbo businesses and property.

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He noted that the South East is the only geo-political zone in Nigeria with only five states, while other zones have between six and seven states.

“Forty-eight ministers were appointed by Mr. President. By law of Federal Character, the Southeast should have eight ministers, but we have only five, while some other zones have up to ten.”

Chief Iwuanyanwu also criticized the lack of railway infrastructure development in the South East, despite the region’s significant number of traders who rely heavily on travel.

Regarding Nnamdi Kanu, he said, “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has been incarcerated for many years, and every effort to plead for his release has met with failure, while many other Nigerians arrested and accused of similar offenses have all been released.”

He further explained that according to the Federal Character Commission, the presidency is zoned to rotate between the North and South instead of rotating through six geo-political zones. This arrangement, he argued, has prevented the Southeast from producing a president. He noted that when the presidency was zoned to the South, the Southern and Middle-Belt leaders met, deliberated, and resolved to zone it to the Southeast, believing justice demanded it. However, a Southwest candidate emerged in the APC, the political party in power.

Chief Iwuanyanwu also praised Chief Edwin Clark, the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), as a respected voice in the region, adding that the elder statesman, who has been fighting against injustice, is mandated to speak for Southern leaders.

“Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders’ Forum resolved to support an Igbo candidate. This is how the support for Peter Obi came up. From the result of the election, Mr Peter Obi won clearly in Lagos, Delta, Abuja and many other places including the Middle-Belt. I must confess that the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders’ Forum has nothing against Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They were convinced in all honesty that it was the turn of the Southeast to produce the president.

“When the result was announced, Tinubu was declared winner, and the Southeast candidate went to court to seek redress.

However, as the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirmed Mr. President’s victory, as law-abiding citizens, who believe in the rule of law, we congratulated Mr. President and promised to give him every support he requires to rebuild Nigeria for good.

“It might interest anyone who cares to know that we have manifested this in practical terms. For example, when many parts of Nigeria were going on demonstration, Southeast was approached to join but as a leader of southeast, I made a proclamation telling my people not to join and they harkened to my voice and never joined the protest.

“We, in the Southeast have made substantial investments in many parts of the country and it is in our interest to assist President Tinubu to succeed. Any failure by Mr President would be a calamity to Igbo who have made huge investments in many places in the country,” Iwuanyanwu stated.

The Ohanaeze leader used the opportunity to call on President Bola Tinubu to address the injustice and challenges the Igbos are facing in the country.

He said: “I had at one of our meetings of Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders’ Forum brought up the problems of obvious marginalisation of my people by the Federal Government and the forum expressed their sympathy to the Igbo. I remember vividly a communique was issued at one of those meetings calling for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu whose continued detention is causing problems in the Southeast.

“After the 2023 general election, we experienced the worst situation which after Peter Obi won in Lagos, Abuja and some other states, a group of people held a meeting and boasted that they will cripple Igbo and make sure they don’t succeed in business and politics. The activities of this group were glaringly obvious in Lagos where after Obi’s victory in Lagos State, every effort was made to stop Igbo from voting. At times violence was used to stop them. Igbo were abused and threatened to leave Lagos.

“Some markets in Lagos state dominated by Igbos were either closed down or demolished. I held a meeting with the leadership of Lagos State, I am happy the matter had slowed down.

“An Igbo man, HRH Eze Nwajiagu who was arrested in Lagos State for no justifiable reason is still in detention in Lagos. His only offence was the statement he made which if the same statement was made by persons of other tribes, would not be taken seriously. We expect Mr. President to look into this matter in order to forestall future occurrence.