George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Imo State , Prof. Francis Dike (SAN) has berated President Muhammadu Buhari for excluding the entire South East from the sharing in the $ 22.7 billion loan meant for infrastructural development.
This is even as he said that the administration of President Buhari has never regarded the South East as part of Nigeria, adding that he would have been shocked if the South East was considered in the sharing of the loan.
Prof. Dike who stated this noted that the current administration has never seen the South East as part of Nigeria adding that it must have been the reason why the entire South East was not included in the $ 22.7 billion foreign loan meant for infrastructural development in the country.
“Every body knows that the South East is not regarded in the equation of this President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. It is not regarded as part of Nigeria. But what comes from the South East goes into the federation. And it is used by those who contribute less to the federation for their own benefits.”
He added “I am not shocked. In fact I would have been surprised if a good share was given to the South East. There have been deliberate policies to marginalise the Igbos.”
He also pointed out that it is not just in the issue of siting projects alone that the South East is being marginalized by this administration but also in key appointments.
” No administration has marginalized the South East more than this current administration of Buhari in key appointments and even in the siting of critical infrastructure . Today nobody from the East South has been found fit to head any of the security agencies. Does it mean that the South East does not have qualified persons?”
Dike maintained that the Igbo are not a tribe but a nation and that no matter the hateful policies of this government that the Igbo cannot be over run or subdued in Nigeria against their will.”