Excerpt from article written by Written by Chris Ajaero Wednesday, 07 April 2010.

Full article : http://www.newswatchngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1950&Itemid=1


Excerpt in relation to this article



The protest over the list of ministerial nominees is not limited to the north.  From the South-East, the Orlu Council of Elders in Imo State, had in a  petition  addressed to the President of the Senate, alleged marginalisation of Orlu zone. They alleged that Orlu zone, with the majority population had been systematically schemed out in the appointment of federal officials in the state.

The Orlu Council of Elders alleged that the ministerial nomination of Emmanuel Ihenacho from the Owerri zone in Imo State was a direct affront to the subsisting power sharing formula in the state. According to them, Orlu zone had to concede the governorship of the state to Okigwe and Owerri zones ahead of the 2007 gubernatorial election  and yet another person from Owerri zone has been appointed minister in addition to Kema Chikwe from the zone who is currently an ambassador. “Orlu zone is now politically an orphan, abandoned and not reckoned with.[/b] This situation is too good to be true and too bad to be left uncorrected,” Peter Mgbowolu, publicity secretary of the council of elders stated. While pleading with the Senate to reject the nomination, the group said “we graciously plead that you use your good offices to address this injustice.”

Their petition did not yield the desired result because Ihenacho was one of the 38 ministerial nominees cleared by the senate last week, The 38 ministerial nominees who were confirmed by the senate  would be sworn in and allocated portfolios this week.  Out of the 38 cleared ministers 14 were members of the dissolved cabinet while the remaining 25 are fresh appointees.'

I really have a problem with my Imo state brothers fighting to block the appointment of minister Emmanuel Ihenacho from the Owerri zone.

Reason : He is from Owerri.

Is this a valid reason ? I thought appointments were based on merit ?

Please lets know how you feel about this process.

Nigerian politics is fraught with this absurd notion of 'zoning', 'quota' and what not. Everyone wants someone from their clan or zone represented, regardless of whether there is any benefit to them or the suitability of the candidate.

It is silly to approach things from this type of perspective and is clearly the cause of mediocrity in so much of our national life. When these well intentioned but ultimately flawed protests begin, the focus shifts from performance to just holding a post - we must have one of our own at all costs.

We have to find a better way of achieving fair representation of all groups while not promoting mediocrity at the same time.

frosbel:

I really have a problem with my Imo state brothers fighting to block the appointment of minister Emmanuel Ihenacho from the Owerri zone.

Reason : He is from Owerri.

Is this a valid reason ? I thought appointments were based on merit ?

Please lets know how you feel about this process.

Unfortunately you have turned what should have been a credible case study of how deeply rooted zoning is becoming and its dangers and turned it into a referendum on the amount of brotherliness that exists in IMO State.

Like Debosky just said this problem can be found in all states of Nigeria and people have attempted to pull others down for this same reason.
So the topic of discussion here should be the ills of zoning not how brotherly IMO people are.

mikeansy:

Unfortunately you have turned what should have been a credible case study of how deeply rooted zoning is becoming and its dangers and turned it into a referendum on the amount of brotherliness that exists in IMO State.

Like Debosky just said this problem can be found in all states of Nigeria and people have attempted to pull others down for this same reason.
So the topic of discussion here should be the ills of zoning not how brotherly IMO people are.

Thanks, topic adjusted, I know this issue exists across the board, but I was only talking about Imo state because I am familiar with Rtd. Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho and he is a very credible person with all the right credentials for public office. So I was astounded when I heard of the vindictive fight to prevent his selection. 

Do you know that these same people blocked his appointment a fews back when Yaradua came to power ?

My specific point was,  why base his appointment on location rather than credentials and moral standing. Location or regional allocation is what the PDP's Presidential selection rotational system is all about , I think this is plain wrong.

The best people should be selected irrespective of their origin.

frosbel:

Thanks, topic adjusted, I know this issue exists across the board, but I was only talking about Imo state because I know Emmanuel Ihenacho through an in-law and he is a very credible person with all the right credentials for public office. So I was astounded when I heard of the vindictive fight to prevent his selection.

Do you know that these same people blocked his appointment a fews back when Yaradua came to power ?

My specific point was, why base his appointment on location rather than credentials and moral standing, similar to the PDP's Presidential selection rotational system.

I just think the best people should be selected.

Don't get too excersized. This is simply Udenwa's tactics at work. He wants to block Owerri nominees in the hope that if it is to come to Orlu Zone then either he or one of his loyalists will be nominated.

The man failed as Imo Governor but got excellent marks as Orlu Governor because his little pretence of working while he was Governor were all concentrated in Orlu.

Even the very powerful Commerce and Industry Ministry he occupied he did not achieve much with it. He could not build on the wonderful legacies and ideas of Charles Ugwu.

Frosbel

Shebi Udenwa pickin, Arinze dey for london there with you. Make you go tell am make him tell their people to chill sake of say them don chop enough lol.

And by the way since Captain Iheanacho be your in-law tell am make him no fall our hand.

The office of Minister for Interior is a very powerful office. His equivalent in the UK is the Home Secretary.

Tell your in-law to work hard with the planning minister to lay real foundation for National Identification System with picture and biometric details.


This will be helpful for our future.

mikeansy:

And by the way since Captain Iheanacho be your in-law tell am make him no fall our hand.

The office of Minister for Interior is a very powerful office. His equivalent in the UK is the Home Secretary.

Tell your in-law to work hard with the planning minister to lay real foundation for National Identification System with picture and biometric details.


This will be helpful for our future.

He is not my in-law, lol. I wish.

He is a relative to my in-law.

If he was my in-law I for come Naija come lobby, .