Ohanaeze flays northern leaders, backs relocation of ministries, offices to Lagos
Maureen Aguta
The Chidi Ibe-led faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has expressed concern over what is described as “the glaring silence exhibited by the Northern governors to the relentless and malicious media attacks by certain Northern groups and political leaders toward the alleged intention of the Federal Government to relocate certain offices to Lagos.
In a statement signed by Secretary-General Ohanaeze, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Igbo group noted that it is surprising and disheartening that the Northern Governors Forum has remained silent in the face of these campaigns, reports The Guardian.
According to the factional apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, this development has led to suspicion that some Northern governors may have provided financial backing to socio-cultural bodies, political and opinion leaders such as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) and Northern Senators to obstruct and oppose President Bola Tinubu’s intentions to relocate some departments of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Lagos.
It said: “Unless the Northern governors choose to align themselves with the commendable stance displayed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who openly condemned the Northern opposition to the relocation of the offices of FAAN and CBN, the confidential information that alleges their support to resist the relocation will undoubtedly gain credence in the eyes of both Ndigbo and Nigerians at large.”
“Regrettably, we are compelled to believe that some Northern governors are secretly financing these leaders, solely motivated by their interests and the desires of a privileged group, rather than being concerned about the welfare of the impoverished Northern populace.
“Ohanaeze vehemently reproaches the Northern leaders for their deafening silence when former President Muhammadu Buhari relocated the military headquarters from Abuja to Maiduguri. It is an act of sheer wickedness and an unpatriotic display for Northern leaders to either feign ignorance or willingly turn a blind eye to these well-documented historical facts, especially when their son, Buhari, moved the military headquarters from Abuja to Maiduguri during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2015.
“Given such glaring historical truths, Ohanaeze urgently appeals to Tinubu to carefully consider the economic importance and national security implications of such a move, and decisively approve the relocation of significant federal ministries, including Petroleum, Trade and Investment, Commerce and Industry, as well as Transportation to the old Eastern region, encompassing the 11 states of the Southeast and the Niger Delta.”