Marginalization: Nigige Replies Ndigos, My ‘Political Wisdom’ Taken From Ojukwu

[caption id="attachment_20853" align="alignnone" width="860"]Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Productivity[/caption]

Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Productivity, has said his support for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari over Ndigbos can be likened to what late leader Odumegwu Ojukwu did in 1982.

Ngige recalled that Ojukwu left the Igbo dominated Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) to pitch tents with the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), that year.

Ngige said it was out of wisdom that Ojukwu left the Nnamdi Azikiwe-led NPP and spread his political tentacles to the NPN so as to avoid boxing the Ndibos in a regional political party.

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The minister said this in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Nwachukwu Obidiwe.

“I wish to put it on record that my position is exactly the same position our late leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu took in 1982 when he left the Igbo dominated Nigeria Peoples Party, NPP, to join the National Party of Nigeria, NPN.

“Ikemba reasoned that while Igbo give support to Zik’s NPP, there was also the wisdom in spreading our political net to the waters of the ruling party. Ikemba did so to ensure that Ndigbo were not all boxed into a regional party or enclave which can disconnect or limit their participation in the nation’s apex political conclave.

“If Ojukwu thought that doing otherwise was myopic in 1982, why is a section of the Igbo crucifying Ngige for preaching and practising the wise counsel of our eternal leader, Ikemba?

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“I wish to further add that there is enough opportunity for the Igbo to make up whatever perceived loss they currently encounter but our leaders need to shun the creeping political narrowness and play politics more astutely.

“What matters most is not how big the positions we occupy are, rather, what we are able to achieve for the Igbo with what we occupy.

“Today, work is on-going on all the major federal roads in the South-East; Enugu- Onitsha, Enugu-Umuahia-Aba-Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt-Owerri, Oba-Nnewi– Arondizuogu- Okigwe, to mention a few while Julius Berger has been mobilized to the tune of N6 billion for the 2nd River Niger Bridge.

“There is also the Benin-Onitsha rail line, with a separate bridge across the Niger, which was not originally in the Jonathan-led PDP coastal rail master plan… This could not be achieved with all the so called big positions (Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Deputy Senate President and Speaker, Ministers of Finance, Health, Aviation, National Chairman of ruling party, Head of Army and Police… that Ndigbo occupied under the Jonathan administration for six years but that the APC government was doing so just in one budget cycle, that is, between 2016 – May 2017, knowing full well that 2015 budget was Jonathan’s.

“The new MASOB leadership- lest it has forgotten, Ngige as Governor of Anambra State was the only governor in the zone who gave MASSOB full protection against harassment by the security agencies because of their non-violent approach to struggle.

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“I did not only protect MASSOB from undue harassment by security agencies, I sent them food from the state treasury and employed its members in the formidable Anambra Vigilante Service. The founder of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike is alive and can testify to this. I, therefore advice the new MASOB leadership to show little respect to the elders who have immensely contributed, and has continued to contribute to the wellbeing of Ndigbo,” said Ngige.

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