NNPC shake up: Ohanaeze decries Igbo marginalisation

THE Ohanaeze Ndigbo has appealed to President Muhammedu Buhari to revisit the recent reorganisation at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the interest of peace, unity and good governance in the country.

In a statement signed by the President General of the pan-Igbo group, Chief John Nnia Nwodo which was made available to Nigerian Tribune in Enugu on Sunday, “appalled at the consistent and unrepentant disposition of disdain for the Southeast by Buhari administration as copiously displayed in the recent reorganization at the NNPC.”

The apex body of Igbo socio-cultural organisations, said that it had thought that after the President’s declaration in a broadcast recently that Nigeria unity is settled and not negotiable that he would take all necessary actions in his governance to achieve it but the recent NNPC shake up has not shown that the administration is walking its talk.

Chief Nwodo said that Buhari administration as shown in the new managers, just announced tilting clearly in favour of the North with Southeast totally ignored as has always been the case since Buhari administration came to office is not intended to achieve the desired cohesion in an already fragmented nation.

The Ohanaeze boss noted that “this brazen disregard, marginalisation and non compliance with the federal character provisions in our constitution are the causes of lack of confidence which our youths have in our present governance structure.”

“As long as President Buhari continues to live out his speech abroad that his government will favour those who voted 97% for him against those who voted 5% for him so long will the dissatisfaction and unrest in our polity subsist,” Nwodo warned.

“There is no oil well anywhere in Northern Nigeria. Four of the five states in the South East have proven oil resources some of which provide our nation’s revenue yet our people are not found fit to be adequately represented in a key corporate institution like the NNPC.

“Ohanaeze is therefore urging the President to revisit this recent reorganisation exercise in NNPC in the name of God and in the spirit of the on going festivity being celebrated in this season and in promotion of unity and good governance,” he concluded.