A day after claiming Igbos are not marginalized, Dr Chris Ngige, Nigeria’s Minister for Labour, has said a Nigerian president of South-East extraction will end the marginalization of the region.
Ngige who appeared on Channels Television’s programme said that the perceived feelings of marginalization in the Southeast will be largely addressed if the region produces President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.
The minister said that it is sad there is no provision in the 1999 constitution stating that the next election is to be zoned to the south.
Ngige noted that the 1995 constitution produced by the late General Sani Abacha’s administration would have been better suited for Nigeria’s current situation.
He said: “The people in the area have perceived that they are marginalized, that they are unappreciated, whether it was done by propaganda and brainwashing or not, that is now immaterial.
“So I agree with that proposal, unfortunately, the Nigerian constitution does not have that. This is where I quarrel with those who authored the 1999 Constitution.
“I still believe today, tomorrow, that the Abacha Constitution of 1995 that espouses rotational presidency into the six zones in Nigeria, a single five-year tenure in order to heal all the wounds; the wounds of civil war, and the wound of June 12.
“Now, that constitution would have been the best constitution for Nigerians to use for the next 30 years by which the six zones would have tested the presidency.”
The minister added that President Buhari is very ‘afraid’ of breaching the Nigerian Constitution.
Ngige added that Buhari has tolerated a lot from critics, reiterating that many Nigerians want to stretch him (Buhari) beyond reasonable limits.
“There must be a limit to Politicking, If a government has done well if a president has done well, you should give him accolades in the areas he has done well. Areas he has not done well, point them out and discuss.”
“This president is a democrat, this president is so afraid of breach of the constitution of any law, I’m even stronger than him in terms of that. He is so circumspect about what the law says”.
He continued further; “Even President Obasanjo can he give you this latitude? He will not. I know him”
“This President is now a willing horse and you people want to ride him to death, No!”.
