Stakeholders want lopsided appointments stopped

ISAAC OJO, Awka

The South East geopolitical zone has again cried out aloud to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to halt the on-going extremely lopsided appointments of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government before it throws the nation into untold chaos.
The call which was made on behalf of the zone by the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Prince Chukwuka Onyema who spoke with journalists yesterday noted that the principle of Federal Character as espoused in the nation’s constitution was expressly aimed at avoiding such sectional and skewed appointments.
He pointed out that the subdivision of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones of South-East, North-Central, North-East, North-West, South-South and South-West by the regime of Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (retd) was for a better representation and participation in government at the Federal level and all its agencies.

 
According to the legislator, “history has shown that the South East zone, comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, is grossly marginalized and shortchanged in the recruitment for employment by Federal government ministries/agencies and departments, including recruitment into law enforcement outfits, admission into educational institutions, appointments and promotions in FG offices.

 
Citizens from the South East zone, Prince Onyema disclosed have been acknowledged to be very industrious, enterprising and contributed immensely to preserve and protect the integrity and unity of this country more than any other zone in the country.

 
Adducing some examples, he noted that recently some graduate doctors from the South Eastern states who attended House-manship employment interview in one of the Federal Government Hospitals complained bitterly that they were not taken despite performing far better than their counterparts from other zones of the country because of the consideration of Federal Character policy.
Also, certain parents from the zone had to take their children to some other schools because they were rejected in the Unity Schools for a simple reason that they exceeded the zone’s quota. These were children who performed excellently better than those from other geopolitical zones.
He saw the recent appointment of five service chiefs by President Buhari without any of them from the South East as clear manifestation of marginalization, which could have originated either during
recruitment, selection and or promotion exercises or at the selection to attend the military courses.
That the statement credited to the President in his address to the appointees that their selection was based on merit truly betrayed the official inconsistency, throwing up a critical question of why should
the rules be altered when the pattern of game does not favour us?
“We urge the ruling APC government to instill prudent and steadfast in its considerations for future appointments, recruitment, promotions and admissions to ensure justice, cohesion and unity.
Onyema revealed that the zone is cautiously and diligently watching and waiting as the government of the day makes further appointments for change.
Persons from the zone has and continues to distinguish themselves in every national and international assignment, adding that he wants to believe the President did not come with ethnic cleansing and
vindictive agenda.