Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige says the people of the southeast should disabuse their minds of the belief that they are being marginalised.
Ngige who spoke in an interview with Vanguard spoke on the easiest way for the Igbo person to become the president of Nigeria is to believe in one Nigeria.
He said; “Why I’m going into all these details is because the people of the South-East always feel they are being marginalized. When you ask them, they say they are not being appointed as SGF or that Ngige is not made Minister of Works, Housing or Power or Health.
“Why it surprises me is that all those positions they are mentioning were occupied by Igbo people under the PDP government yet nothing spectacular was achieved for the Igbo. Under the PDP era, South-East people had ministers of power, aviation, they got all the appointments in the world, even the ones they gave them from that portfolio were abused. They also became Minister of finance and coordinating Minister of Economy, Okonjo Iwealla, representing Abia.
“They also headed health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, Stella Odua, Chidoka and Njeze were all in aviation. So I don’t know what they’re talking about. But the good thing again is that we are only one FEC established by section 148 of the 1999 constitution. President and Vice President hold regular meetings with ministers and that session makes us chief advisers to Mr. President.
Read Also: Choose Between Biafra And Igbo Presidency: Arewa Group To Southeast
“So when people talk, they talk out of ignorance and it pains me that people who should know also join them.
“I am asking that we be careful the way we castigate the government. I am appealing to South Easterners, my brothers, that unnecessary criticisms that are not constructive will not lead us anywhere. Criticisms that are constructive are welcome by any government and this government is not averse to such.
“When you criticize us, give us an alternative, your own view, solution to what you are suggesting and it will be done. It has been done many times by this government. The point I am making is that the South-East is getting her fair deal, forget about appointments. People like big appointment for ego sake, like -my brother is Chief of Defence Staff. What are you defending? For me, our people should play our politics well, this is a time for us to re-engineer and join other Nigerians in believing that this country is ours and become more patriotic about it, and giving honour and accolades to who it is due and appreciate government or whoever that have done justice to you.”
