2007: Campaign for Power Shift Primordial - Ngige
South-east demands fair representation on boards
From Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja
Anambra State governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, yesterday described the campaign for power shift in 2007 as "primordial and pedestrian sentiments" and urged those behind it to allow "the best man" to come out.
Northern governors have said it is the turn of the North to produce the president in 2007. In the same vein South-east governors want the Igbo be allowed to produce the president in 2007.
"If he likes let him come from Ogun state as far as he can transform Nigeria into another Malaysia or Singapore. It's not good for me if you come from my village and you can't still perform and you impoverish the country. But even if you come from Ogun State like President Olusegun Obasanjo and you are good and you can change the per capital income here, give us good roads, good education and everything, why won't you be president," Ngige told newsmen at the close of the South-east caucus meeting on the harmonization of the allocation of the Federal Government board positions to the zone.
Those who attended the meeting that was hosted by Senate President Adolphus Wabara, at the National Assembly, include Senators Ugochukwu Uba (PDP, Anambra State), Uche Chukwumerije (PDP, Abia State), Arthur Nzeribe (PDP, Imo State), and Emma Agboti (PDP, Ebonyi).
Others are Enugu State governor, Chimaraoke Nnamani, Ebonyi State Governor Sam Egwu as well as the deputy governors of Imo and Abia states.
Ngige, in rejecting the rotation of the presidency, said, "people are emotional about it (zoning) and the only thing I would say is that if the North feels that the issue of zoning and rotation should be upheld, they should come and canvass their case at the People's Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC).
"That is the body that has executive powers by our party constitution to say something and it would be binding. Even the national caucus is advisory and the enlarged caucus they are talking about is also advisory.
"PDP has a zoning formula which was done in 1998. At the meeting, (late Senate President, Chuba) Okadigbo propounded the theory of rotation. I was not part of the extended caucus of the PDP, which granted Obasanjo second term and power shift to the north in 2007.
"Obong (Victor, Akwa Ibom Governor) Attah confirmed the issue but I still hope to get the minutes of the meeting. As for me, it's parochial and pedestrian sentiment. I seek excellence in whatever I'm doing. So the best man is what I want," he said.
Ngige, however, described yesterday's meeting as "a follow up" to last weekend's meeting that was held in Enugu.
At the caucus meeting that lasted for about five hours, there were indications that the South-east zone resolved to write Obasanjo and demand for a "fair share" in the distribution of the board membership to the six geo-political zones.
When newsmen contacted the PDP National Secretary, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, he said the meeting was "successful" adding that the caucus believes that "board allocation should be based on performance since we performed well in the polls. We are asking for a fair share."
On the yardstick for appointment to the board, Ogbulafor said, "there should be a level of patronage to the party in power before a person can be considered for appointment as member of a board."
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