Igbo Group Kicks Against Plots Against Onu’s Choice As SGF

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Politics Thursday, June 18th, 2015

By Collins Amadi – A regional pressure body, Igbo Mandate Congress (IMC) has condemned plot by some politicians in the South Eastern Nigeria, against the alleged resolve of President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint Chief Dr Ogbonnaya Onu as the new Secretary to the Federal Government (SGF).
The group in a statement issued by its Director General, Rev. Obinna Akukwe named the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha; former Senator Chris Ngige and former SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim as the brains behind the intrigue.

IMC accused the politicians and party leaders of mudslinging, blackmail and campaign of calumny and recent gang-up against Chief Onu, a development which it stated had attracted attention of its leadership.
The group indicated that it has been confided in it that the grounds of opposition to Ogbonnaya Onu’s choice include: Okorocha’s preference for his in-law, and former Imo State SSG, Prof Anthony Anwuka for the position; Ebonyi State’s Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, conviction that “an Ogbonnaya Onu as SGF from Ebonyi State will dwindle the political fortunes of the PDP in the next dispensation”; Senator Anyim’s anxiety that Onu’s influence would whittle down his own influence in the State (Ebonyi).

Other factors of alleged resistance to Chief Onu’s candidacy IMC pointed out were Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who it claimed was being pressurized to join in the blackmail so as to maintain the supremacy of the PDP in the Enugu-Ebonyi State axis.
While acknowledging the past roles of the accused on the development of Nigeria, IMC recalled that Okorocha had the foresight to drag a faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) into the Buhari-Tinubu alliance as well as Anyim as a beneficiary of Igbo protest after the 2011 elections, that Igbo be made Senate President which ex-President Jonathan compensated with an SGF slot.

The group which said it was convinced in Onu, who it described as a consistent member of the opposition since 1999 as the best candidate for the job, also recalled that the former Ebonyi State Governor, was part of those who helped to form a coalition that led to the formation of the APC as well as helped some Igbos in the north to remain and cast votes for the opposition.

“Igbo Mandate Congress believes that anybody can pursue his political ambition of being the SGF, and believes that Senator Chris Ngige and Prof Anthony Anwuka and indeed others are not inferior choices but ganging up against a particular person and putting undue pressures on the person of President Muhammadu Buhari to jettison his preferred choice, using instruments of blackmail, is not in the best interest of the Igbo race.

“Igbo Mandate Congress is known worldwide as a stakeholder in the ‘Change’ being celebrated in Nigeria today, and participated in ensuring that Igbos in the North rejected some directives form Ohanaeze and compromised Igbo Leaders to vote for the expired “Transformational Agenda” in concert with Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the 19 Northern States and as such has the moral right to call erring leaders to order.

“Igbos in the APC should pursue their ambitions without pulling down others. They should promote their preferred candidate without rubbishing the efforts of others. Let this mudslinging politics stop for once.

The group however alarmed it learnt that President Buhari was not comfortable with the raging Igbo antics and on account of this, might cede the position to another zone “if the pressure becomes overbearing”.

It therefore urged those behind the opposition to stop the “nonsense”, the like IMC reasoned made Igbo produces five Senate Presidents in eight years while another zone (North Central) produced one senate President in eight years.