•Traditional rulers lobby for Onu •Ngige, Anuka also in the race
More pressure is being mounted by the South East to get the post of secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), but three candidates from the zone are now in the race, which may present a dilemma for President-elect Muhammadu Buhari.
Another hurdle is the seeming contestation among Igbo political leaders as to who gets the job.
Igbo traditional rulers in and outside the zone are rooting for former Governor of old Abia State and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogbonnaya Onu.
Former Anambra State Governor, Chris Ngige (now a Senator), and current Secretary to the Government of Imo State, Tony Anuka, are also said to be keen on the post.
It was learnt that when APC South East Caucus visited Buhari two weeks ago, one of the issues discussed was the appointment of SGF.
A source at the meeting disclosed that names of Onu, Ngige, and Anuka were submitted to Buhari to make his choice. Onu’s name was first on the list.
Since after that meeting, Ngige has intensified lobby to displace Onu, who is said to be Buhari’s preferred candidate.
The position of the zone appeared to have changed as South East leaders who visited Buhari on Thursday, May 7 told journalists that they have not submitted any name.
This clarification was made by Ngige when he accompanied Ohanaeze Ndigbo Caretaker Committee, led Ralp Obioha, on a visit to congratulate Buhari.
Ngige said the APC has a standing committee that would address the zoning of executive and legislative positions.
His words: “No, not at all. You can see we are a very disciplined people in the South East, forget about what people are saying in the newspapers.
“We have a caucus and that caucus has met on that position, we are only waiting for the party to officially tell us this is your position and we will submit the name.
“We cannot say for now that our party has zoned the position of SGF to the South East because we have a standing committee that is still working on the distribution of party offices, executive and those of the legislature.”
In the legislature, “we have [the posts of ] Senate president, deputy Senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives and deputy speaker as presiding officers, and of course other principal officers of both Chambers will also be worked out under that committee, including the SGF you are talking about.”
Obioha said the Igbo voted with great conviction that “we needed [Buhari] to commence the difficult and daunting task of correcting a battered economy, an impoverished nation, a nation that is drifting, and we are the representative of that body.
“He assured us that Nigeria is his constituency and that is very reassuring.
“We must humbly and respectfully request that because of the outcome of the election, there is a creation and a feeling of an imbalance in the political equation that there must be a tripod in the political equation of Nigeria. That tripod seems to be missing one leg; and a table of two legs, if it is not truly harnessed well, cannot stand.”
Obioha disclosed that Buhari gave an assurance that he will treat the entire nation as his constituency.
However, Onu still stands shoulder high against other contenders in terms of popular appeal. South East traditional leaders reportedly decided at a meeting in Owerri that he remains their choice.
Igbo traditional rulers in the 19 Northern states and Abuja have added their voices to the clamour for Onu as SGF.
Uche Egenti, leader of Eze Udos in the North, confirmed the meeting in Owerri and the endorsement of Onu by Igbo traditional rulers.
“Yes , last week we were in Owerri where we met Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and interfaced with them. We also interfaced with Governor Rochas Okorocha before returning to Abuja,” Egenti disclosed.
He said the meeting agreed that “Onu is a very straight forward, human being, a man is simplicity personified, the man who is humility personified, a man whose simplicity is seen on his face, in his attitude, seen in his manner of dressing, seen in his manner of approach to every issue, a man who has remained very consistent when it has to do with governance or nationhood.
“We felt that at a time like this, Muhammadu Buhari, who is known to be very disciplined, that we, Ndi Ezes in the diaspora, should endorse Ogbonnaya Onu as our candidate for the office of SGF.
“With him as SGF, Buhari can go to bed with his two eyes closed, knowing that whatever he wants done will be done as he wants it. Again, with him as SGF, there will be no crisis that will trail the Igbo man.
“With him as SGF, there will be sincerity of purpose. He is a man of good candour, a man of industry. So we are calling on Muhammadu Buhari to see him as a beacon of hope for the South East, politically. Let him be the SGF.”
Leonard Ebo, President General of Igbo Community Assembly in the FCT, said Onu is a “very good person. If we can take our minds back to when he was the Governor of the Old Abia State, he performed very well in Abia.
“That Abia is being referred to as God’s Own State today, is the making of Ogbonnaya Onu. We trust him and we are sure that he will perform if he is given the position of SGF.”
Ike Obasi, President General of Imo community in the FCT, also expressed support for Onu.
“When we see a man who is qualified for a position, we pray that such a person gets appointed to such position. Ogbonnaya Onu is qualified, educationally, he was a university lecturer. He was a one-time governor.
“So somebody who was the governor of a state then and is still actively in politics now should be given the chance to handle this position,” he said.
Obasi argued that Onu “has the character” of Buhari, “a very good man” who does not talk about himself and is always talking about the country.
“I also pray that he accepts it and I pray that [Buhari] gives it to him. He is qualified and he merits it.”
Obasi said if Onu does not get the job, he “will be disappointed because it is most important both to the federation and to the Igbo. He can handle that position better than any other person.”
