CNPP backs clamour for zoning of Speaker to S’East
From FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE, Abuja

Friday, May 6, 2011
The South-east governors bid for the position of speakership for the geo-political zone received a boost yesterday when the Secretary-General, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Chief Willy Ezugwu has lent his voice to the clamour.


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He said that with the performance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the zone during the election, there arose the need for the mainstreaming of Ndigbo into the political equation that is playing out in the aftermath of the general elections. Chief Ezugwu noted that “another political crisis looms in the horizon given the acrimonious struggle over zoning, the contentions over the conduct of the elections and the violence-prone outcome of the presidential election with the bickering that is now dominating the sharing of positions.”

In a statement he issued in Abuja, Chief Ezugwu declared support for those demanding that the Speaker of the House of Representatives as the least or minimum position that an Ibo person should occupy in the unfolding political dispensation. Chief Ezugwu, who is also the Vice Chairman-Governing Board of the Save Nigeria Group, warned that, “anything short of the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives for the South-east will further confirm and underscore the agenda of some sections of the country to monopolize the offices of the country under the guise of zoning.”

“In line with the fears expressed in the past by the Igbo Political Forum (IPF) it is becoming glaring that the Jonathan’s Presidency may be harmful to the Ibos if the ongoing clamour over positions is not properly and fairly resolved,” he noted. According to him, “the meddlesomeness of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo with his insinuation that he is insisting on the retention of the current zoning arrangement of the PDP is saddling the Igbos with the unenviable position of the Deputy Senate President, which does not command any significant political power.”

He said he is of the view that in spite of all odds, Ibos supported the Jonathan presidential bid even when it looked doubtful and unviable before his party’s presidential primary and again gave him massive support during the election as evident in the results from the South-east and even in states like Lagos, Kano, Kaduna and others where they ensured massive wins for him despite the stiff challenge he faced from the opposition in such places.

The CNPP chieftain, a former Director-General of the defunct Orji Uzor Kalu presidential Campaign Organisation, challenged President Jonathan to reciprocate the goodwill of the people of the South-east by not only insisting that the Senate presidency or at least the Speaker of House of Representatives must be zoned to the South-east without delay but should also ensure that other vital positions in the executive come to the zone.

Ezugwu said the Ibo people are watching every move made by the President and the PDP on this matter and they will speak out their mind loud and clear when party finally takes a decision on this matter.



http://odili.net/news/source/2011/may/6/503.html

Oh, notice he spelt it "IBO" all through. . . .

Now, my Ibo brothers, lets get up in arms against the desecration of how our name is pronounced!!!

Buncha Osus and anuofias!

Bkbabe, long time.

How u doing luv? Missed you and the rest. Hope all's been good wit u?

Lol. Now they begging for positions. Typical Ibo move!