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'Igbos Are The Key To President Jonathan Re-Election'- FCT Minister Tells Ndigbo

Published

9 years ago

July 24, 2014

Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Usman has called on the indigenes of the South East geo-political zone, to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 elections, the same way they showed their support in 2011 as Igbos are the key to the President’s re-election.
He said this in a speech titled: Transforming Nigeria: Building a Safe Peaceful, Strong and Prosperous Nation at an award dinner convened by an Igbo group, Ndigboamaka in Lagos.
His words: ‘’The association comprising millions of Igbo professionals, traders and businessmen in Lagos mobilised millions of Ndigbo in Lagos, Southwest and Southeast to vote.
”They also offered other various supports to Mr. President’s campaign in 2011. We remain grateful for these contributions and hope you will repeat the same and even do more when the time comes.
‘’I will not fail to mention that recently, the FCT Administration signed an MoU with Messrs. Chikason Nig Ltd, a Nigerian business firm of South East extraction for the development of multibillion naira Abuja Downtown Mall.
“Abuja, therefore, is open for business and development to Igbos who are known for their enterprise both in Nigeria and the world over. You call it the Igbo spirit, but I call it the Nigerian Spirit and this why I call on you to bring more of your businesses to Abuja.”
Earlier President of the group, Mr Leonard Ogbonna said the association is an umbrella body of all the 58 major market associations and Igbo professionals in Lagos.
He further noted that the association has a membership strength of over 4.5 million people, who are spread all over the state.
Meanwhile in June, the Ndigbo Unity Forum, in an open letter to the President, signed by the body’s President, Augustine Chukwudum had said the President had not made the welfare of the masses his priority which as resulted in the avoidable suffering of the masses of the country.
The statement read: “Mr. President, it is obvious you are not bothered about all the numerous problems problems, ranging from insecurity, kidnapping, terrorism, poverty, strikes by schools of higher learning we are facing because your priority is how to win the 2015 presidential elections, even if all Nigerians will die in one day, you don’t care”.
The APC South East Chapter has however, urged Ndigbo group to stop backing Jonathan saying that a vote for Jonathan in 2015 would be a wasted one