President Jonathan |
By Ihuoma Chiedozie
A coalition of socio-political groups in the South-East has asked
President Goodluck Jonathan to fulfill the promises he made to the Igbo or risk
losing their support in the forthcoming presidential election.
The coalition, which made the demand after a meeting in
Enugu, said the President had not shown adequate appreciation for the massive
votes he received in the South-East in 2011.
The associations that formed the coalition are Igbo Traders
Congress, Igbo Women Assembly, Umuada Ala Igbo, Igbo Students Association, Igbo
Youth Movement, South-East Self Determination Coalition and Eastern Christian
Council.
The National President of the Igbo Women Assembly and a
member of Igbo Leaders of Thought, Mrs. Maria Okwor, noted that the Igbo were
not happy with the way they were being treated by the Federal Government.
According to her, the Igbo had not been rewarded for the
bloc of votes given to Jonathan in 2011.
Okwor said the Igbo expected a lot from the President but he
had yet to meet the high expectations.
She said, “We are not happy that we are being taken for granted
and we will like him (Jonathan) to make concrete promises to us and start
something, not just promises.
“Right now, we are considering so many options because we
want the people who will recognise our existence and who will solve our
problems – we are not recognised.”
The women leader urged Jonathan to start redeeming
outstanding promises that he made to the Igbo, before the forthcoming
elections.
“The East/West rail line they promised to build for us, will
it happen?
“When will it happen? Can it be started before this tenure
ends so that we can have something to hope for?
“Otherwise, we might have some alternatives because there
are other parties that can help us achieve our objectives,” she said.
She also expressed reservations over the state of
infrastructure in the South East. She further noted with regrets that the
Enugu-Onitsha expressway was still not motorable.
Okwor also frowned on what she described as the way Jonathan
had been reaching out to the Igbo through some businessmen like Arthur Eze and
Ifeanyi Uba, saying “whereas the Igbo have credible leaders like Prof. Ben
Nwabueze, a former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme, and others.”
Culled from Punch
newspaper
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