Ohanaeze Ndigbo has raised the alarm against the recent reorganisation at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), urging President Muhammedu Buhari to halt its implementation in the interest of peace, unity and good governance.
Ohanaeze, in a statement at the weekend signed by its President General John Nnia Nwodo, said it is appalled by the consistent and unrepentant disposition of disdain for the South-east by Buhari’s administration as displayed in the recent reorganization at the NNPC.
Ohanaeze said it had thought that after the President’s declaration in a broadcast recently that Nigeria’s unity is settled and not negotiable, that he would take necessary actions in his governance to achieve the purpose, adding however that the recent NNPC shake up has not shown that the administration is walking its talk.
Nwodo said the new managers just announced tilted clearly in favour of the North, with the South-east totally ignored as has always been the case since Buhari came to office is not intended to achieve the desired cohesion in an already fragmented nation.
He continued: “This brazen disregard, marginalization 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,” he further lamented.
“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,” Nwodo urged.