The Enugu West Peoples Forum has lampooned the South East Spokesman of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, over what it termed his illogical reaction to the comments made by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu that the South East and South-South decided to contest for the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate when it became obvious that the zones were not in APC’s plans for the first seven positions in the Federal Government of Nigeria.
It also urged Mr. Okechukwu to “first address issue of the N133 million campaign windfall tearing the Enugu State Chapter of the APC apart before seeking undue attention by delving into realms beyond his intellectual and political”.
In a statement signed by the National Coordinator of the group, Hon. Paul Anikwe and made available to newsmen in Enugu, the political pressure group regretted that Mr. Okechukwu could not tell the difference between appointive positions and substantive positions in the Federal Government, which Senator Ekweremadu referred to.
The statement reads in part: “We are surprised that the self-appointed Spokesman of the APC for the South-East does not understand the difference between the first seven positions in the Federal Government, namely President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker, Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), Deputy President of the Senate, and Deputy Speaker, none of which is in the APC’s plan for the South East and South-South.
“For all we know, APC’s official position for these offices are North West for President, South West for Vice President, North East for Senate President, North Central for Deputy President of the Senate, South West for Speaker, North East for Deputy Speaker in addition to the judicial arm of the Federal Government, which is headed entirely by the North East as CJN, President of the Court of Appeal, and Chief Justice of the Federal High Court”.
The Enugu West Peoples Forum said that such total exclusion of the South East and South-South from these substantive positions despite the fact that the South East produced two APC Members of the House of Representatives in Imo State, while the South-South produced several Members of the House of Representatives and a Senator could not be compensated by appointive positions, which occupants could be sacked at will.
“Besides, the ministerial positions, which Mr. Okechukwu referred to are entitlements of every State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory going by the provisions of Section 147(1), (2), (3) and Section 302 of the 1999 Constitution as amended”, the statement added.
Likewise, the group also said that the Federal Character provisions in Section 14(3) and (4) of the Constitution as well as provisions against discrimination in Section 42 of the Constitution already covers the primary interest of the zones in the appointment of ambassadors and other appointive positions listed by Osita Okechukwu.
“Therefore, President Muhammadu Buhari would only be deemed to have favoured the two zones if he appoints them into key Ministerial, ambassadorial, and other positions”, the group added.
It, however, said it would continue to give the Buhari administration all necessary support to succeed in the interest of the country as urged by Senator Ekweremadu if the Administration was ready to work.
The Enugu West Peoples Forum congratulated Senator Ekweremadu on his historic election as the Deputy President of the Senate for the third straight time, expressing satisfaction with his representation.
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