Daily Independent Online.
*
Wednesday, July 07, 2004.
South East govs, ministers
harmonise list of nominees for
board appointments
By Chesa Chesa
and Adetutu
Folasade-Koyi
National
Assembly
Correspondents, Abuja
South East governors and ministers on
Tuesday met at the National Assembly to harmonise a list of nominees from the
region into the boards of Federal Government parastatals recently dissolved by
President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The meeting convened by Senate President,
Adolphus Wabara, lasted about five hours and had in attendance Governors
Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi) and Chris Ngige (Anambra). Imo and
Abia states were represented by their deputy governors, Ebere Udeagu and Chima
Nwafor, respectively.
Also at the parley were the following
ministers, Chukwuemeka Chikelu (Information), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Finance),
Fabian Osuji (Education) And Franklin Ogbuewu (Culture and Tourism). The
National Secretary of the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP), Vincent Ogbulafor, also joined the meeting chaired by
Wabara.
A senator who was present at the meeting
revealed that, “we met to discuss modalities. For now, no names were
forwarded that would be supplied by the governors. All we have done today is to
fine-tune the modalities of how to present a common forum.”
Emerging from the meeting, which ended
about 5.30p.m, Ogbulafor told reporters that top office holders from the South
East saw the parley as an opportunity to avert marginalisation of the region
and to ensure rancour-free nomination process.
“Allocation should be based on
performance and the South East has performed,” he said.
Governor Chris Ngige of Anambra State also
enthused that the meeting was successful as South East leaders for once spoke
with one voice and took a common position, saying, “There was unanimity,
no division.”
Shortly after the meeting ended, Ogbulafor,
in company of Ngige hinted of lobbying, but stated that nomination would be
based on performance.
“We have harmonised our positions it
was a successful meeting. There must be some measure of patronage to belong to
the board. We feel that the allocation of board positions should be based on
performance,” he said.
The PDP National Secretary said
Tuesday’s meeting with Wabara would be the beginning of series of
consultations, adding,” There is no end to meetings.”
Ngige later told newsmen that the meeting
“was at the instance of the senate president, which is a follow-up to the
meeting in Enugu. We decided to look at our allocation for Federal board
chairmanship and membership. We had very faithful deliberations.
“Leaders of the South-east spoke with
one voice on an issue. This was unanimity of purpose, of intention and there is
no division among us.”
