February 04, (THEWILL) – The pan Igbo socio-political body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has expressed deep concern over the silence exhibited by the northern Governors in response to the relentless media attacks orchestrated by certain northern groups and political leaders.
A statement on Sunday, by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said It is both surprising and disheartening to witness the Northern Governors Forum remaining silent in the face of relentless campaigns aimed at denigrating the Federal Government’s commendable intentions to relocate certain offices to Lagos.
According to the statement, some northern Governors are funding these leaders in pursuit of their pain and the selfish interests of a selected few, rather than considering the welfare of the impoverished northern populace.
The statement reads in part, “This has led us to suspect that some northern Governors may have surreptitiously provided financial backing to sociocultural bodies, political and opinion leaders such as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), and Northern Senators to obstruct and oppose President Tinubu’s noble policies and intentions to relocate some departments of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Lagos.
“Unless the northern Governors adopt the commendable stance displayed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who openly condemned the northern opposition to the relocation of the offices of FAAN and CBN, the confidential information alleging their support to resist the relocation will acquire credibility in the eyes of Ndigbo and Nigerians.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo vehemently reproaches Northern leaders for their silence when Former President Buhari relocated the military headquarters from Abuja to Maiduguri. It is an act of sheer wickedness and a display of unpatriotic behaviour for Northern leaders to either feign ignorance or turn a blind eye to these historical facts and evidence, specifically when their own, former President Buhari, moved the military headquarters from Abuja to Maiduguri during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2015.
“In light of these historical truths, Ohanaeze Ndigbo urgently appeals to President Tinubu to consider the economic importance and national security implications and approve the relocation of important Federal Ministries, including Petroleum, Trade and Investment, Commerce and Industry, and Transportation, to the old Eastern region, covering the 11 states of Southeast and the Niger Delta.
“We view President Tinubu’s decision to relocate certain offices of FAAN and CBN from Abuja to Lagos as an endorsement of Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s economic reasons, and we believe that this gesture must be extended to include the relocation of the headquarters of these vital Federal Ministries.
“Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, underscores the need for the Arewa Consultative Forum, Northern Elders, and Senators from the North to recognise that President Tinubu is emulating the footsteps of Former President Buhari, who relocated the military headquarters to Maiduguri from Abuja. This marks the initial step towards the necessary restructuring of Nigeria.
“Let it be known that Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s appeals to President Tinubu to relocate the headquarters of important Federal Ministries to the Southeast and Niger Delta states are driven by economic reasons and the desire for massive development in these two geopolitical zones.
“In conclusion, Ohanaeze Ndigbo reiterates its commitment to fostering unity and rectifying historical imbalances in our great nation. We extend an open invitation to all Nigerians, transcending tribe and region, to join us in our noble pursuit.”
About the Author
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
