LAGOS — AFTER much debates, series of meetings and horse-trading, majority of leaders of the South-East geo-political zone have reached consensus on the acceptance of the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, as zoned to the area by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, hierarchy, according to Vanguard checks. Ohanaeze Ndigbo, umbrella body of Igbo socio-cultural organisations, is expected to make a pronouncement on the issue very soon.

Prominent Igbo leaders including governors; former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme; Ohanaeze and South-East PDP leaders, have been brainstorming on the issue.

The consensus is anchored on what a source described as ‘superior argument’ that in practical terms the SGF is better than the House of Representatives Speaker, which the zone is demanding on account of its massive support for the PDP at the Presidential and National Assembly polls.

Dr Alex Ekwueme, Chief Achike Udenwa, Dr Samuel Egwu, Senator Ben Obi and Others during an Igbo Summit in Owerri last year. Photo: Hill Ezeugwu

Another factor that is swaying the decision in favour of accepting the SGF slot is the need to ‘help President Goodluck Jonathan to succeed’ after playing leading roles in getting him elected.

However, the leaders are against a leading Abia State politician, who had served severally as a minister and party leader since the return of civil and being pushed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, emerging as the SGF. They would rather prefer a more credible person, perhaps, a former leader of the National Assembly from the South-East to occupy the strategic post.

In the past couple of days, Igbo leaders have been intensely divided on the issue. Veteran journalist and former Editor of New Nigerian Newspapers, Chief Innocent Oparadike; Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said that the speakership was more useful than the SGF, who holds the job at the absolute mercy of the President.

Imperial chief of staff

Indeed, Okechukwu said the SGF was irrelevant when “there sits on the throne of the President, an imperial chief of staff. More so, the office is not listed on the order of protocol and the occupier can be fired at the whims and caprices of the President.”

Former Governor of Anambra State and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, senator-elect in Anambra, Dr. Chris Ngige shares this view. Speaking on a television interview yesterday, he urged the South-East to insist on the speakership, which he stressed was better than the SGF, a mere appointee of the President.

However, some Igbo leaders told Vanguard that the SGF was more strategic and could position the Igbo better in the scheme of things in the country.

Those who shared this view include Second Republic politician and Anambra State chairman of defunct Nigeria Peoples Party, NPP, Chief Guy Ikokwu; former National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, chieftain, Chief Chuba Egolum and Chief Hyde Onuaguluchi.

Ikokwu, who was also a stalwart of NADECO and pioneer chairman of PDP in Anambra State, said the SGF was a powerful post because the occupier controls appointments, oversees the day-to-day running of government and is closer to the President than the Vice President.

He said: “Why did they remove Babagana Kingibe as SGF. They felt he was too powerful. If the South-East is going for the presidency in 2015, the nearest that will help them is the SGF. What is speaker? The Speaker is junior to the Senate President.”

Ikokwu said that apart from the presidency, SGF was another prime post that the South-East had not held. He noted: “We have tried vice president. We have tried Senate President thrice and Speaker twice. What did the South-East gain from them? Let’s embrace SGF.”

Besides, the politician, said the South-East had a duty to help Jonathan succeed.

Speaking in like manner, Egolum, said, “SGF is more strategic. He is there in the presidency and knows what is happening. All appointments go through him. Ministers report to him. He has votes and it is more broad-based than the speakership.”

jason123:

Offense but after all the "lobbying" they still ended up settling for this same position they once hated just because someone said it "higher" *shocked is an understatement*

alexleo:

you people are here talking nonsense. The southwest is already losing the speakership to the north east according to yesterday's news. Now if the north becomes in charge of the national assembly then Jonathan will have serious problem in his government. First, the north said they were supporting south west for speakership. Now they ve made a U turn to support their own person since they have the majority number to achieve it. They said that zoning is dead. This is not the time to bash each other like some foolish people have already started here. This is the time to think of the way forward. I still insist that Igbos should support Jonathan. For them to have agreed to accept the SGF post there must have been a secret deal with Jonathan as per what they stand to benefit. Its a pity we have some empty brain here like rhino.5dm who throws insult to igbos at any slightest thing. Keep wasting your energy and heaping curse on your head. Your insult ends here and it has no effect on the Igbos here and out there. Eze uche you too use your head and stop talking nonsense. Whatever post that will impact on development in Igbo land is ok by me.

nedu666:

u guys make me sick, u believe everything newspapers say, was vanguard not the same set of people that told us yaradua was as fit as a fiddle, open your mind this article was sponsored by someone likely ken namani or Ojo Maduekwe hoping to force them into accepting the position, secondly the meeting has not been held so where does a consensus come from, if vanguard were sure of their sources they should quote the names of the people.

nedu666:

come to think of it there is a story of GEJ ordering d fall in cement prices, this affects everyone yet it did not make headline news, rather accepting sgf is the main news, abeg i can bet £1000, that someone paid vanguard to ensure this article is front page

macjive01:

Guys this is politics

Ekweremadu was lobbying for senate president

Emeka ihedioha lobbying for house speaker

Some unelected persons lobby for Igbos to accept SGF in the hope he wud hv the chance to be appointed.

Ohaneze keeping mute while demanding to know the "total package" .
Is a refinery coming to an Igbo state?
If not, is a petrochemical coming ?

If not, will an Igbo man b getting d third national telephone carrier- as Adenuga got the 2nd?
If not, FCT minister- to compensate thousands of genuine Igbo victims who lost their houses from mallam erufai ethnic cleasen?
If not,

Wud he - GEJ, set up a commission to negotiate n seriously lobby for the release of nigerians in foreign jails - vietnam to kandaha, kum lumpu to Cambodia and SA ?
If not,


Then we will insist on senate presidency.