Magnus Eze, Enugu
The Igbo Development Union (IDU) has warned President Muhammad Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against exclusion of Ndigbo in the leadership of the 9th National Assembly.
The group described as ominous, the unconfirmed plot by the leadership of the APC to cede the post of the Deputy President of the Senate to the South-south or Northwest after the party zoned the slot of Senate President to the Northeast.
The party has also zoned the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the Southwest.
President of IDU, Chief Emmanuel Igwe, who spoke to Sunday Sun in Enugu, yesterday, shortly after the delegates’ meeting of the organisation, said that the APC government was determined to further polarise the country with its divisive and selective approach to governance.
He recalled that Nigeria stood on a tripod and wondered why people were bent on wiping out the Igbo, which formed one of the three pillars of Nigeria.
The group, which faulted what it called the effort of the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, to unsuccessfully justify the zoning arrangement, explained how the six geo-political zones were introduced into the political lexicon of Nigeria to accommodate the Southern and Northern minorities.
A communiqué issued after the meeting and obtained by Sunday Sun stated that “Nigeria was largely peaceful before the unfortunate interruption of the then thriving democracy by the then Major General Muhammadu Buhari on December 31, 1983 despite the fact that Nigeria just came out from 30 months civil war because the then Shagari administration saw all parts of the country as one people that needed to be carried along.
“Despite the fact that NPP garnered over 95 per cent of the votes in the then two core states of Ndigbo in the 1979 general election because Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe was their presidential candidate, the ruling NPN still went ahead and zoned the Speakership of House of Representatives to the opposition NPP and that was why Chief Edwin Umezuoke of the blessed memory clinched the position even when he was in opposition.
“That the recent happening within the All Progressives Congress seems to justify the position of the late governor of Plateau State Chief Solomon Lar that maintained that the military seized power in 1983 because certain cabal in the North was envious of the popularity of the then Vice President, Chief Alex Ekwueme and the fear that Shagari may handover to him by 1987.
“The subsequent detention of Ekwueme in prison while others were kept under house arrest later gave credence to that assertion by Lar. Ndigbo demand explanation from President Buhari whether we are still part and needed in the country or not.
“That the issue of votes cast for one particular party is neither a criteria for allocation of political positions that will engender peace and ensure harmony among the diverse ethnic groups in the country.
“That Ndigbo alert the international community to call President Buhari to order to avoid unnecessary bickering among the constituent units in the country.
“That the APC, President Buhari and Adams Oshiomhole should be held responsible for the consequences of their actions should they go ahead and exclude over 60 million Igbo in the affairs of the country.
“We condemn in its entirety the deliberate burning of Igbo votes in Lagos during the last general election and call on Inspector General of Police to arrest and prosecute those behind such dastardly act.
“We urge Ndigbo to be law-abiding and carry out their businesses without fear no matter where they reside in the country as this group will activate all legal means to ensure safety of Ndigbo wherever they reside”.
The IDU, however, congratulated the President on his recent victory at the polls and urged him to be magnanimous in victory by carrying along all segments of the country in his administration.