…Say: Partnership good for Ndigbo
Ohanaeze Youths Council, OYC, the apex socio-cultural organization of Igbo youths, have condemned in totality, the efforts by some alleged “misguided and misinformed”
persons aimed at allegedly discrediting the dogged and patriotic inputs of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu in ensuring the passing of the bill that has established the South East Development Commission, SEDC.
OYC frowned at the alleged actions of Dr Josef Onoh, President Bola Tinubu’s South East campaign spokesman’s statement which downplaying Rt Hon Kalu’s role in facilitating the passage and signing into an Act of the SEDC bill.
OYC wondered whether such actions do not amount to an attempt to create disunity in South East polity.
OYC through its president, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka made the condemnation while speaking to journalists Wednesday, in Owerri, where he noted that “there is no recognition of such position as former spokesman of Bola Tinubu in South East;” and accusing Onoh of allegedly playing the devil’s advocate while seeking ways to clinch the Managing-Directorship position of SEDC.
It is once said that “ignorance makes any one refer to old attempts as the part of the ownership of the success, especially when the final bill that was signed is different from the previous attempts.
“Dr Josef Onoh is allegedly lobbying to be MD of SEDC, unfortunately he has not even read the law to know what the Act says and he is allegedly looking for how to be the MD.. ,” Igboayaka alleged, adding, “you do not become MD of South East Development Commission by attacking any political leader and most especially, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu who saw to the finality of the bill as deputy speaker of House of Representatives.”
The OYC president stressed that while several bills usually introduced in the Assembly die off naturally for many reasons, all accolades ought to be given to any parliamentarian who introduces a bill, revives, sponsors and dutifully ensures that the bill sees the light of the day by becoming an act or law.
Igboayaka further stated that Hon Kalu deserved the accolades for painstakingly using his time, office and good relationship with President Tinubu and members of the National Assembly to positively effect the South East Development Commission bill, reiterating the synergy between the deputy speaker and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a great resource to Ndigbo.
OYC extolled President Tinubu, for signing the bill into law in record time to ensure even development across the country.
“We are talking of proposing and processing a bill to become an act, which is a no mean assignment, and someone is somewhere chasing shadows, because of his desperate ambition to become the MD of South East Development Commission, with zero capacity to drive such all- important development tool of the president . So, any one he suspects will not be in support of his ambition is made an enemy on the pages of the Newspaper.
“The chief sponsor of the bill when it was signed into an act, should be addressed as the one who worked for it, not those who attempted and failed previously in the past assemblies. It was a display of ignorance listing those who had the desire to achieve this in the 8th and 9th Assemblies as every Assembly commences her activities de novo.
“Stop telling us about who tried, tell us who made it happen .
“Ndigbo are not ingrates. We appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for breaking the jinx of 54 years as Ndigbo are deeply appreciative to Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, our illustrious Igbo son for asking the president to remember Ndigbo by signing the SEDC Bill into law”
“Like Dr. M. I Okpara whose visionary leadership made old Eastern Region the fastest developing region, developing faster than China and Singapore between 1953 to 1966. Therefore, South East Development Commission as actualized through the effort of Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu, is like the vision of Dr. M. I. Okpara; has been revisited by honourable deputy speaker to foster economic development in the SouthEast”
Ohanaeze Youth Council however, appealed to President Tinubu to initiate more cheery developmental programmes and projects for South East region while calling for the release of the IPOB detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“Ndigbo are waiting for another celebration, appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant the prayers of Hon Benjamin Kalu for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release using a political solution on his matter”, Igboayaka added.
