Apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has backed the federal government’s resolve to relocate the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos.
Ohanaeze expressed its deep concern over the silence exhibited by the Northern Governors in response to the relentless media attacks orchestrated by certain Northern groups and political leaders.
The group noted that it’s surprising and disheartening to witness the Northern Governors Forum remaining silent in the face of these relentless campaigns aimed at denigrating the Federal Government’s commendable intentions to relocate certain offices to Lagos.
A statement on Monday by Ohanaeze’s factional Secretary-general, Mazi Okechukwu lsiguzoro, accused some Northern Governors to may have surreptitiously provided financial backing to these socio-cultural bodies, such as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), and Northern Senators, to obstruct and oppose President Tinubu’s noble policies and intentions to relocate some departments of(FAAN) and (CBN) to Lagos.
According to Ohanaeze’s statement, Unless the Northern Governors adopt the commendable stance displayed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who openly condemned the Northern opposition to the relocation of the offices of FAAN and CBN, the confidential information alleging their support to resist the relocation will acquire credibility in the eyes of Ndigbo and Nigerians.
“We are compelled to believe that some Northern Governors are funding these leaders in pursuit of their pain and the selfish interests of a select few, rather than considering the welfare of the impoverished Northern populace.
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“Ohanaeze Ndigbo vehemently reproaches Northern leaders for their silence when Former President Muhammadu Buhari relocated the military headquarters from Abuja to Maiduguri.
“It is an act of sheer wickedness and a display of unpatriotic behaviour for Northern leaders to either feign ignorance or turn a blind eye to these historical facts and evidence, specifically when their own, former President Buhari, moved the military headquarters from Abuja to Maiduguri during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2015.
“In light of these historical truths, Ohanaeze Ndigbo urgently appeals to President Tinubu to consider the economic importance and national security implications and approve the relocation of important Federal Ministries, including Petroleum, Trade and Investment, Commerce and Industry, and Transportation, to the old Eastern region, covering the 11 states of Southeast and the Niger Delta.
“We view President Tinubu’s decision to relocate certain offices of FAAN and CBN from Abuja to Lagos as an endorsement of Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s economic reasons, and we believe that this gesture must be extended to include the relocation of the headquarters of these vital Federal Ministries.
The Organisation stressed the need for the Arewa Consultative Forum, Northern Elders, and Senators from the North to recognize that President Bola Tinubu is emulating the footsteps of Former President Buhari, who relocated the military headquarters to Maiduguri from Abuja.
It stated that the bold steps was in good direction towards restructuring the country.
