I Won’t Discriminate Against South-east, Says Buhari

Promises fairness to every section as zone
demands SGF, House of Reps presiding officer
From Iheanacho Nwosu,Abuja
The President-elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari,
yesterday assured that he will not discriminate
against the South-East or any other section of the
country, saying Nigeria is his constituency.
He also promised to look into the demands of the
South-East caucus of the All Progressives
Congress(APC) handed to him recently .
Gen Buhari spoke when he met with the
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Caretaker Committee led by its
Chairman, Chief Ralph Obioha. Other members of
the delegation include former Anambra State
governor, Sen. Chris Ngige, former Managing
Director of Nigerian Breweries, Eze Festus
Odimegwu, Chief Onwuka Ukwa, Osita
Okechukwu and Anike Nwoga .
Dismissing fears that his incoming administration
may work against sections of the country that
didn’t vote for him in the last polls, the President-
elect said he will fulfil the promise he made during
the campaigns to treat every Nigerian equally.
He commended some South-East leaders who,
he said, stood for the truth and ensured that
residents of the area were fed with the truth.
In his address, Obioha thanked Gen. Buhari for
his promise to run a competent and corruption-
free government.
He described as false claims that South-East did
not vote for Buhari. According to him, if the Card
Reader was allowed to work in the zone,
Nigerians would have known that the zone was
for APC .
The Ohanaeze caretaker committee boss singled
out Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Sen Ngige and
Governor Rochas Okorocha for praise, describing
the trio as wise men. Apart from the three,
Obioha listed prominent Igbo leaders like former
Abia State governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu,
Odimegwu as those who worked for the APC
candidate.
He said: “We are only a representative delegation
and on behalf of the whole house, we wish to
mention the outstanding, extra efforts and
contributions of H.E Orji Uzor Kalu, Sen Jen
Nnamani, Chief Emeka Okwosa, Eze Festus
Odimegwu, Chief Enechi Onyia, Sen Offia Nwali
and Chief Onwuka Ukwa .
“The three wise men from the South-East,
Governor Rochas Okorocha, Ogbonnaya Onu
and Chris Ngige are our illustrious sons.
“Your Excellency, as the head of the APC
leadership, you are aware that the South-East
was a target by the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) rigging machine which produced an
election result that denied the zone of even a
single senator and only three non-ranking
members of the House. Ndigbo request that you
adopt the principle of necessity to give the zone
the position of Secretary to the Government of
the Federation (SGF)which is your prerogative
and in addition, a position of one presiding officer
in the House of Representatives “.
Also speaking, Eze Odimegwu thanked Gen
Buhari for nominating him into the Transition
Committee even when he had not met him
before. He said it was a sign that the incoming
government will pay attention to merit than other
considerations.
Meanwhile, Ngige has dismissed insinuation that
the South-East APC caucus was fighting over the
SGF slot that is likely to be zoned to the region. He
said the zone is working together, disclosing that
the caucus’ decision on that will be made known
soon.
He said: “We have a caucus, we have a position,
when we get to the bridge, we cross it.”