COSEYL commends Ohanaeze for rejecting deputy Speakership, says Ndigbo deserve more

• Carpets Kalu for betraying S’ East
Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has commended Ohanaeze Ndigbo, led by Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, for rejecting the deputy Speaker position, which has been, purportedly, zoned to the South East.

The apex socio-political youth group in the region described Ohanaeze’s stance as the popular will and wish of the people, insisting that it reflects Igbo quest for political survival as one of the major ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

A statement signed by the President General and Publicity Secretary of COSEYL, Goodluck Ibem and Okey Nwaoru, respectively, yesterday, in Awka, condemned the member Representing Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, Benjamin Kalu, for accepting the position, because it favours him, saying it’s reproachful.

The statement reads in part: “It is insulting, demeaning for Kalu to betray the collective interest of Ndigbo by accepting the position of deputy Speaker, which, by our ranking, is the seventh position in the hierarchy of office and position of power in the nation.

“For emphasis, we wish to ask: are Igbo now ranked seventh in terms of population and contribution to national growth, economic advancement and development? Are Igbo now the seventh largest ethnic group in the nation?

“Nigeria, from its beginning, was established on a tripod structure by our founding fathers; an arrangement, which includes the North, dominated by Hausa/Fulani; East, dominated by Igbo and West, dominated by Yoruba.

“The zoning formula, on which Kalu is standing today, because it favours him and him alone, renders the post-war ‘three Rs’ of “reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation” a ruse under the current circumstance.

“Why would Ndigbo play second fiddle to other nationalities after enjoying the vice president position, following the civil war? This is a political decline for a nationality larger than 10 independent countries in Africa.”