₦airaland Forum

A policeman is expected to protect the lives and property of the citizens. But time will tell if a policeman serving with the Ekiti State Police Command, Mr. Olalekan Lasisi, has abused his privilege as a law enforcement officer or not.


Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr. Olayinka Balogun

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Lasisi has been arrested for allegedly raping and impregnating a 12-year-old pupil (name withheld).

PUNCH METRO gathered that the policeman also allegedly beat the girl's guardian, Mrs. Juliana Olajiga, who had gone to challenge him for defiling her ward.

The victim, who is an orphan, was said to have been raped twice by the policeman around November 2010 and is now six months pregnant.

It was gathered that Lasisi sighted the victim, who was sent on an errand in Basiri area of Ado-Ekiti, dragged her inside a bush and had several rounds of sex with the girl who is a JSS I pupil at a school in Ado-Ekiti.

The victim, who was said to be a virgin until she was raped was said to have stopped schooling, and her guardian expressed the fear that she might not be able to continue with her education.

Our correspondent learnt that sometimes in January, Olajiga became sick and her children took her away from Ado-Ekiti to attend to her health.

But when she returned sometimes in April, Olajiga was said to have noticed some changes in the body chemistry of the raped victim. After making enquiry, she discovered that the girl was already pregnant. Not satisfied, she took the girl to a laboratory and a clinical test conducted showed that the pupil is six-month-old pregnant.

The policeman was said to have injured the victim's guardian at her residence in Similoluwa area of Ado-Ekiti on May 12, 2011, when he was eventually found.

The coordinator of an Ado-Ekiti-based non-governmental organisation, Mrs. Rita Ilevbare, had in a petition written to the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr. Olayinka Balogun, demanded that Lasisi should be arrested for allegedly raping the girl after the girl's guardian had sought the assistance of the group.

Ilevbare, who observed that rape was a serious crime, added that the case became more grievous when it was supposedly perpetrated against a minor by a law enforcement officer.

She said the suspect, if found culpable should be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

The petition reads in part, "The education and the future of such a great child has been dimmed by a man, a security agent for that matter, who by any reason should not allow the future of children to be tampered with. We demand that justice be done in this matter by arresting and prosecuting Olalekan (Lasisi) if indeed he is culpable."

The commissioner of police, who confirmed the receipt of the petition, told journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday that the suspect had been arrested on the strength of the petition.

He said the allegations were being investigated, adding that a senior police officer had been directed to handle the case.

Balogun who said he initially blamed the NGO for lodging the complaint late, he added that inspite of that, the case would be thoroughly investigated.

l I pity u because u are one of those people dat have been duped into thinking a nation called Nigeria actually exist. Take a proper look around you and tell me what do you see, Denial is a perpetuating state of delusion. lollz


[quote author=Rhino.5dm link=topic=674214.msg8386856#msg8386856 date=1306275191]Your case is a sorry one. How could you be blind from stalk reality.
Take a copy of Nigerian constitutions to a basic knowledge and stop using a particular scnario to justify your naivity.

You are sounding soo dumb(no offence) by towing that dead line.[/quote]

Ok Name Nigeria's Chief Executive, We are waiting!!!

What naivety is this?  Did OBJ not sack Atiku or did six senators not get impeached under OBJ WATCH and not to talk of the Chief Justice of Federation Murder.

Abeg ooooooooooo!  If you people don't understand that Nigeria really does not have a politics but just a mirage than u are all lost.

jason123:
I have told the guy to take a month out to study politics before he can start challenging people.
I like the guy but his political knowledge is quite appalling.

@ alj_harem

No retreat, no surrender! Get it!!! Daft

@ alj_harem

No retreat, no surrender! Get it!!!

Jarus, There is no need for the pls, this is SPARTA. The topic in question is worth hp, so let it get there pls.

Jarus, There is no need for the pls, this is SPARTA. The topic in question is worth hp, so let it get there pls.

@ Jarus and Aisha2,

Withover 1000 views just from the politics section since the topic Nigerian Bill Gates of Africa was created on Friday.

This is an intellectual social networking site for Nigerians and that is why i joined to engage in stimulating intellectual debate concerning Nigerians .

Please kindly place the topic on the front page so we can get a wider opinion and debate. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-670431.0.htm

Eziachi u make a good point with regards to the PRESIDENT having a new SGF each month, if he so wish and with Jonathan's track record with sacking particularly igbo ministers in his cabinet, i wouldn't put it past him.

But, it would be naive to assume that the President was absent from the decision making process that saw a record number of six igbo senate president hired and forced to live office in two terms of OBJ Government.

With regards to Atiku, he was sacked with all priviledges including pdp memebership card withdrawn. Yes an appeal court later ruled Obj does not have a right to sack Atiku. however, the case remained in court while obj served out his tenure.

Hence, Atiku did not return to government.

Eziachi:
Politics section may be to challenging to you my good friend, what the heck are you talking about? ObJ cannot change neither did he change any senate president, if you said that he induced intimidate or blackmailed senator to impeach their presiding officer (Senate president) I will agree with you.

In the light a president can't sack his VP. Even Atiku proved it in court. But president can have a different SFG each months, if he so wishes and can equally abolish the position to save you so cash.

@ Jarus and Aisha2,

Withover 1000 views just from the politics section since the topic Nigerian Bill Gates of Africa was created on Friday.

This is an intellectual social networking site for Nigerians and that is why i joined to engage in stimulating intellectual debate concerning Nigerians .

Please kindly place the topic on the front page so we can get a wider opinion and debate. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-670431.0.htm

@ Jarus and Aisha2,

Withover 1000 views just from the politics section since the topic Nigerian Bill Gates of Africa was created on Friday.

This is an intellectual social networking site for Nigerians and that is why i joined to enagage in stimulating intellectual debate concerning Nigerians .

Please kindly place the topic on the front page so we can get a wider opinion and debate. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-670431.0.htm

TECHNICALLY YES IF OBJ example is anything to go by,  With regards to the Senate President impeachment from the post, is also technically attainable if OBJ example is anything to go by,  As you said:

There is never a manual in running government in Nigeria incase you are posting from US.

So cut all this paper talk and watch as the situation unfold with intricacies.

All that you are qouting is subjected to so many factors.

And as for 'side line madam 'umbrella' from the equations'. Undoubtedly, she is a key player in governance by virtue of being the first lady, just meant the mammoth responsiblity of SGF would be too fast for her to keep up


[quote author=Rhino.5dm link=topic=674214.msg8381670#msg8381670 date=1306224154]I don't think so! The president can't fire the VP without any breach of constitutions in presidential system of goverment. But sfg can be discharged unceremoniously.
Or do you think GEJ can fire Sambo? !

OBJ does NOT have the power to change the senate president. I find some of your comment laced with political naivity(No offence meant)[/quote]

So is the Vice President, I mean, how many times did OBJ change the Senate President in four years. Please!

sirjec:
SGF position is hire and fire at will

True! I still beleive that based on the characters presented by the ohaneze, the occupant of this position should be able to exercise some influence in things getting done particularly with regards to Jonathan's industrialization of the southeast programme. Do not underestimate the SGF POWERS AND INFUENCE because that office inherited the duties of the cheif of staff and equivalent to the office of Prime Minister.


On the 'First lady hijack the position', I don't think so because she is not educated enough and lacks the staminer for the magnitude of work. The presidential spokes person is answering and reporting to the sgf whom reports directly to the president, so no wahala.


[quote author=Rhino.5dm link=topic=674214.msg8381308#msg8381308 date=1306219860]There is never a manual in running government in Nigeria incase you are posting from US.

So cut all this paper talk and watch as the situation unfold with intricacies.

All that you are qouting is subjected to so many factors. E.g the first lady may choose to hijack the position or the presidential spokes person may hijacked the position too.

Many thanks to Yar adua for removing the position of cheif of staff which is a total replica of sfg and even more powerful.[/quote]

I will tell you what decisions since you can't read. This guy is basically the president because he does the main job of the president lol

Specifically the office undertakes the following responsibilities:-

i) Coordinating policy design and formulation by Ministries, Departments and Agencies for approval by Government;

ii) Serving as Secretary to the Council of State, the Federal Executive Council and other

Constitutional Councils, which are chaired by the President;

iii) Coordinating the activities of Ministries and Government Agencies on the implementation of Government decisions, policies and programmes

iv) Dealing with constitutional, political and socio-economic matters as may be referred to the Presidency;

v) Administrative Tribunals, Commissions and Panels of Enquiry; vi) Coordinating national security and public safety matters;

vii) National Honours Award

viii) Prerogative of Mercy

ix) Protocol Matters

x) Channeling of papers and directives of the President;

xi) Processing and granting Government approval for Overseas Tours, Intergovernmental Meetings/Conferences, medical check-up/treatment by Public Officers;

xii) Processing requests for Overseas Duty Tours/Conferences including medical check-up/treatment abroad for members of the Judiciary, Chairmen and Members of Statutory Commissions/Bodies for approval by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

xiii) Coordinating the appointments to Headship of Statutory Bodies, Commissions and Agencies by the President;

xiv) Dealing with matters relating to conditions of service of political office holders;

xv) Intergovernmental Affairs and relations with State and Local Governments;

xvi) Liaison with Secretaries to State Governments;

xvii) Allocation of office accommodation to Political Office Holders. So, if an individual is eminently placed to coordinate and handle all these, should he not be considered a very important and influential individual? But that is not all that he does. In terms of the structure of that office, there is more. In discharging the aforementioned responsibilities, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is structured into the following Offices, each headed by a Permanent Secretary. There are six of such offices:

*Cabinet Secretariat;

*General Services Office;

*Political Affairs Office;

*Economic Affairs Office;

*Special Services Office;

*Special Duties Office;

Then there is the supervisory roles that have also been lumped together in that office and the list is legion. The following Parastatals/Agencies are supervised by the Office of the SGF:

i) Ecological Fund

ii) National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP)

iii) National Economic Intelligence Committee

iv) Presidential Advisory Council

v) Code of Conduct Tribunal

vi) Code of Conduct Bureau

vii) Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency

viii) National Hospital

ix) Federal Road Safety Commission

x) National Commission for Refugees

xi) Nigerian National Volunteer Service (NNVS)

xii)Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)

xiii) South-South Health Care Programme

xiv) National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA)

xv) National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC)

xvi) Ministry of Special Duties

xvii) Secretariat of the Presidential Council (PAC)

xviii) Secretariat of the Presidential Committee on National Identification Systems, Consumer Credit and Outsourcing initiative

xix) Galaxy backbone

xx) NIMC

xxi) Christian Pilgrims Commission

xxii) National Hajj Commission

In influencing policy and coordinating same, the SGF is imbued with enormous powers which naturally sets the tone and direction of any administration in a manner which should affect, positively, the lives of the people of the country but more specifically, the lives of the people of the zone from whence cometh the occupier of that office.
[quote][/quote]

I think Ezeuche is ban, because we have not yet heard from him in sometime. Nairaland is trying to destroy their business.

For people that don't understand politics, the SGF is actually a senior executive post in the arm of government. It could be compared to the post of Prime Minister and definitely not beneath Senate President or Speaker of the House of Rep by nature of belonging to the executive arm of gov.

Very influential post in the decision making process of government.

Politics Sunday, May 22, 2011

An expose on the powers and influence of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF! It is revealing and instructive

By Jide Ajani, Deputy Editor


*From right, President Goodluck Jonathan; VP, Alhaji Namadi Sambo; SGF, Yayale Ahmed and Mr. Steve Orasanye, ex-Head of Service.

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Myopia is in the air. Nigerians, wont to pay lip service to the real essence of governance, are at it again. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has zoned the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, to the South-East geo-political zone.

Yet, in doing that, many do not see the importance and the very influential role such an office and its occupier would play in moving the country forward. But ask any politician why he is seeking public office and he throws the answer in your face: To serve the people. What he actually means is that he wants to seek financial, political and psychological gratification.

For instance, how else would anybody influence policy than when his responsibility is to "ensure the effective coordination and monitoring of the implementation of government policies and programmes for the overall development of the country".

The responsibilities of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, are enormous. Specifically the office undertakes the following responsibilities:-

i) Coordinating policy design and formulation by Ministries, Departments and Agencies for approval by Government;

ii) Serving as Secretary to the Council of State, the Federal Executive Council and other

Constitutional Councils, which are chaired by the President;

iii) Coordinating the activities of Ministries and Government Agencies on the implementation of Government decisions, policies and programmes

iv) Dealing with constitutional, political and socio-economic matters as may be referred to the Presidency;

v) Administrative Tribunals, Commissions and Panels of Enquiry; vi) Coordinating national security and public safety matters;

vii) National Honours Award

viii) Prerogative of Mercy

ix) Protocol Matters

x) Channeling of papers and directives of the President;

xi) Processing and granting Government approval for Overseas Tours, Intergovernmental Meetings/Conferences, medical check-up/treatment by Public Officers;

xii) Processing requests for Overseas Duty Tours/Conferences including medical check-up/treatment abroad for members of the Judiciary, Chairmen and Members of Statutory Commissions/Bodies for approval by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

xiii) Coordinating the appointments to Headship of Statutory Bodies, Commissions and Agencies by the President;

xiv) Dealing with matters relating to conditions of service of political office holders;

xv) Intergovernmental Affairs and relations with State and Local Governments;

xvi) Liaison with Secretaries to State Governments;

xvii) Allocation of office accommodation to Political Office Holders. So, if an individual is eminently placed to coordinate and handle all these, should he not be considered a very important and influential individual? But that is not all that he does. In terms of the structure of that office, there is more. In discharging the aforementioned responsibilities, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is structured into the following Offices, each headed by a Permanent Secretary. There are six of such offices:

*Cabinet Secretariat;

*General Services Office;

*Political Affairs Office;

*Economic Affairs Office;

*Special Services Office;

*Special Duties Office;

Then there is the supervisory roles that have also been lumped together in that office and the list is legion. The following Parastatals/Agencies are supervised by the Office of the SGF:

i) Ecological Fund

ii) National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP)

iii) National Economic Intelligence Committee

iv) Presidential Advisory Council

v) Code of Conduct Tribunal

vi) Code of Conduct Bureau

vii) Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency

viii) National Hospital

ix) Federal Road Safety Commission

x) National Commission for Refugees

xi) Nigerian National Volunteer Service (NNVS)

xii)Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)

xiii) South-South Health Care Programme

xiv) National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA)

xv) National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC)

xvi) Ministry of Special Duties

xvii) Secretariat of the Presidential Council (PAC)

xviii) Secretariat of the Presidential Committee on National Identification Systems, Consumer Credit and Outsourcing initiative

xix) Galaxy backbone

xx) NIMC

xxi) Christian Pilgrims Commission

xxii) National Hajj Commission

In influencing policy and coordinating same, the SGF is imbued with enormous powers which naturally sets the tone and direction of any administration in a manner which should affect, positively, the lives of the people of the country but more specifically, the lives of the people of the zone from whence cometh the occupier of that office.

This one no be new thing,  We already know our local councils are ineffective.

Monday, May 23, 2011

UN Habitat survey rates local councils 'ineffective'

From Abosede Musari, Abuja

LOCAL councils in Nigeria have generally been ineffective in the delivery of services to citizens, according to a baseline survey recently conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the UN Habitat in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).


UN Habitat survey rates local councils 'ineffective'

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The survey, which was presented to stakeholders during a two-day validation workshop in Lagos, highlighted some areas of inefficiency of the councils to include poor accountability and transparency, low involvement of the people in decision-making and poor provision of infrastructure.

It was carried out as part of measures to determine the level of Good Urban Governance (GUG) in Nigeria. Twenty-one local governments were studied in the survey in states harbouring cities such as Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Makurdi, Kaduna, Gombe, Owerri, Uyo, Akure and Onitsha among others.

The validation workshop was attended by several participants, including principal state and local governments officials from Imo, Lagos, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Anambra, Gombe, Benue, Cross River, Taraba. Two commissioners also attended from Ondo and Taraba states.

The presentation of the survey was part of the GUG project of the UNDP, which began in Nigeria two years ago with the objective of improving governance at the local level.

Project Officer at UNDP, Matthew Alao, in an interview, told The Guardian that the project was conceived to ensure that Nigerian cities were managed in such a way as to encourage better service delivery to the people.

He explained that Nigerian cities like Lagos and Ibadan, among others, were usually managed by different local council authorities, thereby causing uneven service delivery and development.

According to Alao, it would be better to have only one authority managing the cities in order to speed up development.

He was of the view that when a city is managed by different local councils, some areas might enjoy essential services such as water provision, roads, refuse management and other common amenities more than the others, thereby causing disparity in the same city.

The UNDP official suggested that a single authority be created to manage the cities while local councils could still be responsible for smaller towns.

His words: "The Good Urban Governance project was conceptualised by UNDP, UN Habitat when the Oslo Governance Centre requested for proposal and the main objective is to improve governance at the local level, principally at the urban centres, and to ensure that there is a standard for healthy competition among the urban centres in Nigeria.

"In Nigeria we don't have management of cities because most of our cities have been fragmented into local government areas. Not less than 10 local governments are managing the city of Ibadan alone, which is against the practice that existed before the 1976 local government reforms. One of the overall objectives is to cause legislative reforms in the management of our cities."

At the opening ceremony of the workshop, Prof. Bade Falade of the UN Habitat stressed the need for Nigerian cities to be well planned to contribute to national growth.

Falade said: "We need to plan our cities because they are the engines that drive the national economy, not oil. It is good to derive revenue from oil but cities drive national economy. They create room for manufacturing industries and services. Lagos for example, has shown that if we fix our cities very well, they will contribute to the GDP of any nation."

According to Assistant Director, Household Surveys at the National Bureau of Statistics, Isiaka Olarewaju, who presented the baseline survey titled, "Consolidated Report of Assessment of Good Urban Governance in Nigeria," the survey showed some disparity in the management of cities, which were handled by different local councils, thereby underscoring the need to have a single body managing cities in Nigeria.

The data presented by him showed that in Ondo State for example, Akure township where two local councils were studied, Akure North and Akure South local councils, people only spend five minutes to access water in Akure North while a resident of Akure South spends 28 minutes.

The means that in Akure town, which is managed by the two local councils, one resident of the town gets water in five minutes while another resident of the same town spends as much as 28 minutes to get water.

All balls seem to be rolling in the kick off stage. Hope all this development talk are made manifest.

OYETUNJI ABIOYE

Last week, some investors from United Kingdom, in partnership with the Delta State Government, announced plans to build a $250m theme and resort park, the first in West Africa. OYETUNJI ABIOYE examines the feasibility of the project


Architectural model of the proposed DeltaLeisure Theme and Resort Park

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International travel experts say that theme park serves as a catalyst for the development of major cities in the world. According to them, United States' big cities like Orlando, Florida and Miami were developed through theme parks.

This is believed to be the reason the Delta State Government warmly embraces plans by some UK investors to build a $250m theme and resort park in the state, the first of its kind in West Africa.

The theme park, according to the foreign promoters, will come closely behind the famous Sun City Theme and Resort Park in South Africa.

The theme park, which will be sited in two locations in Delta, according to the UK resort firm, Sarner International, will be named DeltaLeisure Theme and Resort Park.

On one location is the theme park, and on the other second location is the wild life, which will look more like a safari.

Being patterned after other major parks like the famous Disney World in Europe, United States and Asia, the planned resort in Nigeria is being prepared as a global brand for tourists from all walks of life.

The proposed glamorous park will contain a five-star hotel, amusement park facilities, a plethora of entertainment systems and platforms, and special sections for all continents of the world, which the promoters say will be named differently as African, European, American and Asian villages.

According to the promoters, European, Americans and other foreigners are being targeted for the park. This is why they say that the new Asaba Airport, which is being proposed as an international airport, will enable the foreign visitors to fly in directly from all parts of the world.

Local experts say that the dream will help stem the tide of capital flight in the country as most Nigerians who spend millions in theme parks abroad during vacations may choose to go to the proposed DeltaLeisure Theme and Resort Park.

The park is also expected to bring in huge foreign exchange.

But local experts and stakeholders are not sure if the park dream will be achieved.

The announcement came after several attempts at building the West Africa's first theme and resort park in Nigeria had failed in some states.

They expressed doubt that the planned DeltaLeisure Theme and Resort Park will not go the same way.

According to them, such previous huge tourism projects threw up a lot of lofty promises but everything later failed.

Specifically, they recalled that some states like Imo, Lagos and Ondo had come up with such gigantic plans before but later failed to implement them.

While Imo under Governor Ikedi Ohakim had planned a wonder land, Ondo also contemplated a sort of tourism centre to be named after the Sunshine State.

Lagos State was to host the West Africa's first theme park in Lekki in the early 1990's. The park, which was to be called the Wonder Land and Happy Land, was to be built by some American travel and tourism firms in partnership with the Lagos State Government and some local firms.

After some major progress had been made, the project could not be executed as the state government later revoked the certificate of occupancy of the proposed theme park.

However, a tourism expert and the Managing Director, African Travel Quarterly, Mr. Ikechi Uko, expressed hope that the planned DeltaLeisure Theme and Resort Park would be a reality.

According to him, the UK promoters of the park look serious and that the Delta State Government has shown commitment towards making the project a reality.

"Why I think this project looks better is that the park is being built by foreign investors from the United Kingdom; Delta is only providing the land and the enabling environment. With such arrangement, I think the thing may work," he said.

Uko also said he wanted the project to be achieved because it would create more employments, and speed up the rate of development of the area.

Sarner said that the $250m facility, which would be built on 300 acres of land, would offer at least 6,000 direct employments.

On the viability of the project, Uko, who is also the Coordinator of the Seven Wonders of Nigeria tourism project, said if they could build it and get the marketing to the global community right, the project would break the jinx of having successful tourism projects in the country.

According to the promoters, the park will also contain waterfalls, culture zones and golf course zones, with resort and commercial zones. It will also have a cinema complex, shopping arcade and a shopping village, with business centres.

It will have a picnic area, adventure climbing, light and sound show arena, a tea house, gardens of the world and children's interactive centres, with water park and sports club.

Construction will begin immediately and the park is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2013. The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, said that it would be opened in April 2014.

The names are an impressive line up of characters. They are definitely no push over and very duty driven. They will definitely do their Job to assist Jonathan plan of industrializing the South East. Looking good!!!

From MODESTUS CHUKWULAKA, Abuja

Monday, May 23, 2011

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohaneze Nd’Igbo, at the weekend submitted the names of four persons to President Goodluck Jonathan for consideration as the next Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). Those in list included former Senate President, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, season academics, Profs. Uzodinma Nwala and Ben Obumselu and the current Director of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Mr. Emeka Eze.


Ojo Maduekwe


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Daily Sun learnt in Abuja yesterday that the decision was in response to the decision of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to zone the office to the South-East. The shortlisted names had already been sent to the President.

A source close to the organisation said over the weekend that the presidency had asked for input from Ohaneze as it widened its search for the plum position in order to placate the group which felt hard done by, when its pleas that the speakership of the House of Representatives be zoned to the South-east appeared to had fallen on deaf ears.

The presidency it was learnt, had earlier asked the five governors of the zone to recommend names for possible appointment for the zone, but was forced to have a rethink when “each governor wanted his crony for the job.”

Although the source said the President could still make his pick from outside the list submitted by Ohaneze, the source said the organization would feel slighted if Jonathan was swayed by personal interests of people from outside the zone in deciding on becomes the next SGF.

“Ohaneze insisted, and told the President that whoever occupied the highest position zoned to Igboland in the incoming administration must represent the interest of the zone without compromising on the high demands of the office as the clearing house for government activities. These four people met those criteria,” the source said.

The presidency appeared to have decided to work with the list sent to the organization, a source close to it said last night that Jonathan was not likely to do anything that would suggest that he was spliting the South-east again.

However, he added as a caveat, “people should not be surprised if the President settles for a dark horse. He did not say who could be the dark horse among the three even though he said the usual intra- zonal politicking that characterizes the zone was already at play that “zoning has to reflect spread.”

According to him, in terms of Politics, the South-east was made up of two sub-groups: the old Anambra (Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi) and old Imo (Abia and Imo). He pointed out that since the former had already occupied a plum job zoned to the South-east with respect to the Deputy Senate President , it would only be fair, just and equitable that the SGF should come to the latter. Besides, he noted that the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP for the South-east also comes from the Old Anambra axis. Anyim, who hails from Ebonyi State was the Senate President until May 29, 2007. He contested for the chairmanship of the PDP but had to step down for Chief Vincent Ogbulafor following the consensus arrangement at the party’s national convention in 2008.

Prof. Ben Obumselu from Anambra State an English Language scholar was described as a throughbred Igbo man who had been active in Ohaneze issue for many years. Like Obumselu, Eze, an engineer, hails from Anambra state.

Prof. Nwala from Imo state was a key member of the G-34 that metamorphosed into the PDP in 1998. Besides authoring the first constitution of the PDP, he was said to have played a key role in the adoption of “some key elements of the 1999 Constitution – such as the six zone structure, the federal character principle and the jacking up of the derivative fund from 3 per cent 13 percent - through his activities at the Constitutional Conference of 1995.

Jonathan is expected to announced his choice this Sunday after the inauguration.

@ Jarus, over 1000 views just from the politics section since the topic Nigerian Bill Gates of Africa was created on Friday.

This is an intellectual social networking site for Nigerians and that is why i joined to enagage in stimulating intellectual debate concerning Nigerians .

Please kindly place the topic on the front page so we can get a wider opinion and debate. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-670431.0.html