A former Governor of Enugu State and the Senator representing Enugu East, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, has expressed concern that the continued neglect of the South-East zone in the power equation is sending wrong signals that the region is unwanted in the Nigerian Union.
Senator Nnamani spoke while featuring on a programme on Arise Television on which was monitored by our correspondent.
He noted that since Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (Rtd) was eased out of the number two position under Military President Ibrahim Babangida, no South Easterner has been considered for either the President or Vice President.
Nnamani lamented that successive administrations at the centre have ignored and jettisoned the power equation which traditionally recognised the South-East zone as one of the legs of the tripod in the power equation of the country.
“This is the dilemma of the Igbo man. We have been shortchanged in the leadership of Nigeria. This is not the nation our progenitors negotiated for. It is against the spirit of a Nigerian union where tribes and tongues may differ but in brotherhood, we stand.
“How can we (Ndigbo) be proud to belong to a union where we cannot aspire or be considered for top positions?
”If 2023 passes without the South East being accommodated in the power arrangements, we would have to wait for the next 16 years and will be out of power reckoning for 40 years from 1999,” he said.
He said the PDP has a window of opportunity to correct the imbalance against the South East affirming that the zone has kept a clean slate and maintained political fidelity since 1999.
The lawmaker also said the abysmal performance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration was enough for a vote of no confidence on the ruling party.
He listed foreign and domestic borrowings, rising unemployment, skyrocketing foreign exchange rates, inflation, insecurity, labour unrest, lack of infrastructure and resort to blame game as the trade mark of the APC government, which he said have brought the nation’s economy to its knees.
“If we were under a parliamentary system of government, the APC would have received a vote of no confidence and be sacked for non-performance while the PDP should take a bow and be elected to govern Nigeria,” he said.
