Leaders of the Southeast caucus of
the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday requested President-elect
Muhammadu Buhari to give the Igbo Secretary to the Government of the
Federation (SGF).
Besides, they are also asking for the speaker of the House of Representatives or its deputy.
The Igbo leaders met with Gen. Buhari at
the Defence House in Abuja, led by Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha,
who is the only governor elected on the ticket of the APC in the zone.
They also presented a former Governor of
the old Abia State and one-time Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples
Party (ANPP), Dr.Ogbonnaya Onu, as their leader. He could be considered
for appointment as SGF, they said.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation,
which included federal lawmakers and national officers from the zone,
Okorocha said even though they were not able to deliver the Southeast to
Gen. Buhari, they cut down considerably the dominance of the PDP in the
zone.
Okorocha, who expressed confidence in
the success of the Buhari administration, said: “We know that we’ve lost
out in the position of senate presidency because we did not have a
ranking senator elected to the National Assembly. We however appeal and
we believe that you will be generous enough to consider the Southeast
region to be considered for the position of the SGF.”
He told Gen. Buhari that the zone had
unanimously agreed that Onu should be elevated and be recognised as the
leader of the party in the Southeast.
He said having produced three members of
the House of Representatives, the Southeast should also not be left out
in the scheme of things in the leadership of the House
“We (Southeast APC) are more victorious
than you are on your victory at the presidential election, many of us
would have gone on exile if you had lost.”
Speaking with reporters after the
meeting, Okorocha said: “We are here on a courtesy call; first to
congratulate the President-elect for a well-deserved victory and to
reassure him that the Southeast will be behind him and to pray for God’s
wisdom and health to enabling him carry out the task of governance in
Nigeria.
“The Southeast played a very key role in
the victory of General Muhammadu Buhari, considering what happened in
2011 when the PDP returned about 7 million votes, but this time around
it’s no longer possible. In the next dispensation, the entire Southeast
will be APC.”
On their demands, Okorocha said: “We
know that the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari is a fair
person. He is a man who believe in justice, equity and fair play. The
Southeast is one of the tripods upon which this nation stands and we
believe that what is good for A is also good for B, it is not a specific
thing but we know that Southeast will not be left out in the political
equation of Nigeria in terms of distribution of infrastructure and the
federal appointments.”
He dismissed claims that the position
zoned to the Southeast was already generating a crisis among the
leaders. “As it is now no position has been zoned to anyone. A committee
has been set up to review the entire zoning thing; there has not been
any zoning at all.”
Gen. Buhari praised the delegation for
their doggedness, pointing out that both Okorocha, Rivers State Governor
Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole stood
still and fought against impunity in the Southsouth and the Southeast.
He said that he had already asked the
governors to document their experiences, especially how security agents
prevented the use of card readers during the elections.
Gen. Buhari said all those found to have participated in electoral manipulations will be brought to book.
He thanked the Southeast APC for the
role it played in ensuring that it reduced the deficit of votes the PDP
gathered in the region. He assured that his administration will carry
everyone along, irrespective of race, region and tribe.
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu
made a surprise appearance at the Defence House at about 4.00pm and met
with the president-elect for about 20 minutes.
Ekweremadu was accompanied by Senate
Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba and Deputy Minority Whip Senator Abu Ibrahim.
He refused to speak with reporters.
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