Ikonne justifies non-appointment of Igbo as security chief

Backs calls for Ekweremadu’s removal

A CHIEFTAIN of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Paul Ikonne, has faulted the notion that President Muhammadu Buhari’s disdain for the South-East region manifested in his appointment of Service Chiefs.

The 2011 Abia State governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) told reporters in Abuja that the President must have appointed his service chiefs based on merit and professionalism.

Stating his strong belief that President Buhari has the Igbo at heart in his agenda, he recalled that Buhari visited the region eight times in the build-up to the election and would not toy with the interest of the South-East zone.

He expressed optimism that the President would consider credible Igbo sons and daughters for his cabinet, noting: “Fighting Boko Haram is not something you do by sentiment. For us in APC South-East, there is nothing to worry about. It is too early to make such assumption considering that some of the appointments so far are purely professional.

“Also, more appointments are still to be made and sensitive ones for that matter. Anybody thinking that the President will persecute or is persecuting the South-East is just playing politics, and that is not the position of the Igbo.”

He added: “People don’t seem to understand that the President loves the region more than any other person. In 2003, his running-mates in 2003 and 2007 were Igbo men. That doesn’t show a man that does not believe in the zone or has anything against the people. People should be patient.

“I believe the oppositions are just trying to cause disaffection by crying wolf. The region is in Mr. President’s agenda for infrastructure development to make lives better for the people.”

However, Ikonne sees nothing wrong in calls on the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, to step down as the APC demanded, being of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said: “I am of the same view because that is the APC position and that is the leadership direction.

“Senator Ekweremadu has served in the Senate and also in that position, the honourable thing this time is for him to step down, that will also be my advice because he doesn’t fit in. The call from the APC South-East is genuine.

“He is an honourable man, he has contributed his own quota and I think he should step down so that the National Assembly, the South-East and Nigeria will move forward.”