Igbos Are Not Being Cheated Or Marginalized- Sen. Ndume Says as he Slams Biafra

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, who is also representing the Borno South Senatorial District, Senator Ali Ndume has dismissed the agitations by some groups for Nigeria to break up, saying that the country is better as united entity.

The Senator also said that whatever grievances that people have can be solved within the constitutional framework that presently exist and if there is need for reforms it can also be addressed amicably without any recourse to violence or threats.

Speaking in a recent interview with Punch, Ndume noted that the cry of marginalization by the South East was unnecessary because they do not contribute much to country’s wealth.

He noted that 90 percent of Nigeria’s revenue comes from the South-South, yet that region has not been crying about marginalization or about being cheated. He added that the only demand that the South-South is making is for the oil derivation that accrues to them be reviewed upward from 13 percent.

“When you talk about oil, 90 per cent of the resources we depend on to survive in Nigeria is coming from the South-South geopolitical zone, yet the people there are not talking about dividing the country. They are also not worried about who is spending the money realised from oil sales.”

“In the South-East, it is only Abia State that has an oil producing area. So, where did you get that idea that the Igbo are being cheated or marginalized,” he queried adding that only the South-South have a reason to cry about marginalization or being cheated.

The senator was speaking in the context of the claim by some leaders and groups in the South East that the region has been marginalized politically and economically, especially since the end of the civil war.

Some of the evidences of the marginalization according to proponents of the marginalization theory is the refusal of the Federal government to build the second Niger Bridge and the lack of a sea port to allow for free movement of people and goods in and out of the South East. They are also frustrated that no Igbo man has been elected Nigeria’s President.

This sentiment is what gave birth to secession groups like MASSOB and Indigenous People of Biafra who are agitating for an independent state for the Igbos called Biafra. Another ground for their agitations is that the north is liability on the other parts of the country, hence their insistence on a united Nigeria.

But Senator Ndume says such sentiment is unfounded and baseless, adding that the Northern Nigerian is blessed with tremendous amount of natural resources and even large deposits of oil and gas. According to him crude oil has been found in Sokoto, but what is left is for exploration activities to commence.

He also pointed to the presence of oil and gas in Borno, Bauchi as well as the Chad and Gongola basins adding that very soon, some Northern states will be counted as part of the oil producing states. The senator also disclosed that Zamfara has a large deposit of gold.

The Senator who says he feels disgusted by the idea that the north is a liability on Nigeria, opined that while the Southerners freely move up north to get juicy government jobs, the same cannot be said of the northerners who only go to the south to provide services that are needed.

- The Punch

Terrorist speaking..

It hurts me that after listening to them speak like this, we still attack our people who are trying to liberate us, their approach may be wrong, but they're doing everything possible to get there, they're not the first to do such.

In Nigeria we have North and South-south, South-west, and South-east.

They keep dividing us.

NYSC is a fraud: Southerners are sent to the North where there's nothing, Northern sent to South where there's milk and honey, before we return from service they have occupied NNPC, DPR, etc

One Nigeria indeed

Ahmadu Bello's speech on October 12 1960 is steadily playing out, our politicians are okay cos they're getting the crumbs

It will be over one day

I don’t know if everything else he said is true but the below is 100% true!

The SE as a zone contribute very little to the national purse.

Speaking in a recent interview with Punch, Ndume noted that the cry of marginalization by the South East was unnecessary because they do not contribute much to country’s wealth.

Chai...


This is a blowwwwwwwwwwwww

LegendHero:
I don’t know if everything else he said is true but the below is 100% true!

The SE as a zone contribute very little to the national purse.

Did you check the contribution and allocation chart recently?

Why must it be NORTH against South-east, South-south, South-west when it was North and South that was amalgamated?

What happened to all the top office in the country?

Out of 36 states and Abuja inclusive only one South-east CP, if care is not taken a fulani is your CP

Our schools have the highest cutoffs, produces the best yet not good to run the Nation.

Take away the South-east, and see their numerous impact in less than a second.

Funny country

I am eager to know what the northern states bring to the table

LegendHero:
I don’t know if everything else he said is true but the below is 100% true!

The SE as a zone contribute very little to the national purse.

What is the north contributing?

Says the oppressor to the oppressed
The judge and jury
what right do you ve to speak for igbos can igbos speak for fulanis.

Borno state with all its bombing and banditry contribute more to the economy than hard-working business people? Strange times!

"opined that while the [b]Southerners freely move up north to get juicy government jobs, the same cannot [/b]be said "

Senator this is one of the problems with you guys.

Why are u guys always pained when u see Southerners thriving or working in juicy govt positions? Your problem is u guys consciously or unconsciously don't want Southerners to grow and thrive, because u see them as "kafir"

If u guys see one Southerner in big govt position e.g FIRS, u guys will exaggerate and equate that one Southerner to 1000 southerner.

Another reason is that u Northerners unjustly cornered 85% of government MDAs to North with very few down south. Or are you trying to insinuate that only Northerners should be government workers?

Look at Minister Malami equating troublesome farm destroying northern herdsmen in South with peaceful southern government and private sector workers residing in the north.

It was shameful and heartbreaking.

LegendHero:
I don’t know if everything else he said is true but the below is 100% true!

The SE as a zone contribute very little to the national purse.

You yoruba people are a big taboo to the south...no one can blame God but it would have by far better if you people were part of the north....

Chimighty007:

Did you check the contribution and allocation chart recently?

No, I did not. Can you share it for me here to see?

Why must it be NORTH against South-east, South-south, South-west when it was North and South that was amalgamated?

It’s the SE alone we are talking about as a zone. You can make comparison with North West then.

What happened to all the top office in the country?

Politics. During Jonathan era, the SE occupied better position in Nigeria.

Out of 36 states and Abuja inclusive only one South-east CP, if care is not taken a fulani is your CP

This is a false statement . Can you back it with proof?
Mike Okoli, Edward Chuka Egbuka, and Ngozi Onadeko, I think are CPs. I might be wrong tho.

Our schools have the highest cutoffs, produces the best yet not good to run the Nation.

Which of your schools produce the best? Is there any best university in the SE when you rank Nigeriawise?

Take away the South-east, and see their numerous impact in less than a second.

Complete BS. They are only stopping the SE from leaving because that might make the cash cow (SS) leave too.

Funny country

If someone in my group brings nothing to the table but wants to leave the group, I’ll let them leave. It’ll only make my group stronger.

AfonjaConehead:


You yoruba people are a big taboo to the south...no one can blame God but it would have by far better if you people were part of the north....

I don’t dialogue with IPOB terrorists!

When it suits you double faced hypocrite, you pull the Southern alliance but all your posts show the hatred you have for the same Yorubas.

VeeVeeMyLuv:


Senator this is one of the problems with you guys.

Why are guys always pained when u see Southerners thriving or working in juicy govt positions? Your problem is u guys consciously or unconsciously don't want Southerners to grow and thrive, because u see them as "kafir"

If u guys see one Southerner in big govt position e.g FIRS, u guys will exaggerate and equate that one Southerner to 1000 southerner.

Another reason is that u Northerners unjustly cornered 85% of government MDAs to North with very few down south. Or are you trying to insinuate that only Northerners should be government workers?

Look at Minister Malami equating troublesome farm destroying northern herdsmen in South with peaceful southern government and private sector workers residing in the north.

It was shameful and heartbreaking.

I was at NIMASA in Lagos with some sailors who went to lay a complaint at a particular office in charge of certain complaints and it was a woman that was in charge. We got there and we were directed to her office by a group of about four Hausa staff to her office. From the look on their faces,one would know immediately that they were very angry that a woman,a Southern woman held that position. But the good was that,the said woman is a daughter of past president Obasanjo and there was nothing they could do about it.
Go to the whole NIMASA in the entire Lagos and even the entire south and you will be shocked to see them,hajia,'halji,mallams even Hausa kilisi/suya sellers has better access to the premises than sailors without whom,NIMASA is dead!!
But the sad thing is,the yorubas know all these but do or say absolutely nothing...but instead their focus is on the Igbos!!!!

LegendHero:


I don’t dialogue with IPOB terrorists!

When it suits you double faced hypocrite, you pull the Southern alliance but all your posts show the hatred you have for the same Yorubas.

Auzubillah minashaitan nirajeem

But the northerners contribute nothing to our revenue in south west, u hardly see an hausa man renting a house not to talk of paying taxes

AfonjaConehead:

I was at NIMASA in Lagos with some sailors who went to lay a complaint at a particular office in charge of certain complaints and it was a woman that was in charge. We got there and we were directed to her office by a group of about four Hausa staff to her office. From the look on their faces,one would know immediately that they were very angry that a woman,a Southern woman held that position. But the good was that,the said woman is a daughter of past president Obasanjo and there was nothing they could do about it.
Go to the whole NIMASA in the entire Lagos and even the entire south and you will be shocked to see them,hajia,'halji,mallams even Hausa kilisi/suya sellers has better access to the premises than sailors without whom,NIMASA is dead!!
But the sad thing is,the yorubas know all these but do or say absolutely nothing...but instead their focus is on the Igbos!!!!

I don't know why these guys are like this, they are the ones that connived to plant the present problematic regime.

Just imagine a whole Lagos, that man should continue mingling with them and compromising the security of his region thinking they will dash him the presidency.

he doesn't know he is the definition of use & dump, that their plan is to use him to drink pepper soup.

temitope27:
But the northerners contribute nothing to our revenue in south west, u hardly see an hausa man renting a house not to talk of paying taxes

Dem born lagos state govt well to go to alaba rago, mile 12, idi araba to serve them land use charge. These areas are occupied by northerns right and left, front and back yet they don't pay land use charge, income tax, local govt levy. Nothing

TERRORIST senator

Workch:
I am eager to know what the northern states bring to the table

food security (beans ,yam ,patatos ,onion millet maize tomatos beef .carrot , etc) hyro power for electricity, export channel to several African nation for local industries .solid minerals

nedu666:


Dem born lagos state govt well to go to alaba rago, mile 12, idi araba to serve them land use charge. These areas are occupied by northerns right and left, front and back yet they don't pay land use charge, income tax, local govt levy. Nothing

na the thing I dey talk be that nw, cos they av federal government backing

temitope27:
But the northerners contribute nothing to our revenue in south west, u hardly see an hausa man renting a house not to talk of paying taxes

lies dangote group bua , azman airline ,Max air , Mrs oil plc and AA rano all pay tax in Lagos where they run their massive operation ..the logistic arm feeding your sorry Ass involves over 100 trailer dripping food stuff in mile 12 and pay all levies to your lazy ass .

jumobi1:
If someone in my group brings nothing to the table but wants to leave the group, I’ll let them leave. It’ll only make my group stronger.

he leaves by moving east in mass not still hanging on the table like a fly.

LegendHero:
I don’t know if everything else he said is true but the below is 100% true!

The SE as a zone contribute very little to the national purse.

Then why not just grant igbos referendum let us go and suffer I don't get

LegendHero:

No, I did not. Can you share it for me here to see?


It’s the SE alone we are talking about as a zone. You can make comparison with North West then.


Politics. During Jonathan era, the SE occupied better position in Nigeria.


This is a false statement . Can you back it with proof?
Mike Okoli, Edward Chuka Egbuka, and Ngozi Onadeko, I think are CPs. I might be wrong tho.


Which of your schools produce the best? Is there any best university in the SE when you rank Nigeriawise?


Complete BS. They are only stopping the SE from leaving because that might make the cash cow (SS) leave too.

Funny country

During Jonathan which post did south east occupy please me them

Chimighty007:
It hurts me that after listening to them speak like this, we still attack our people who are trying to liberate us, their approach may be wrong, but they're doing everything possible to get there, they're not the first to do such.
K
In Nigeria we have North and South-south, South-west, and South-east.

They keep dividing us.

NYSC is a fraud: Southerners are sent to the North where there's nothing, Northern sent to South where there's milk and honey, before we return from service they have occupied NNPC, DPR, etc

One Nigeria indeed

Ahmadu Bello's speech on October 12 1960 is steadily playing out, our politicians are okay cos they're getting the crumbs

It will be over one day

u don't get Dpr and NNPC cos you elites are heartless .obj and Jonathan spent 14 years but yet u couldn't get DPR the average southern in position dont help his people .dezani was minister of petroluum how many people did she employ ? It southern wickness on fellow south .

This man is one of the reasons the agitation is gaining momentum...with this illogical statements.
Imo,abia and anambra have oil Wells for his empty head...
Please oga dumb senator,there is no single oil drop in the whole of north.
Igbos say they are tired of been Nigerians so what is difficult there since they contribute nothing to the national wealth...
Mr dumb senator,can you name 5 federal present in the whole east but I can name 50 in just kaduna,bauchi and Kano........