MINNA – The Igbo community in Niger State has urged Governor Mohammed Umar Bago to acknowledge their significant support and economic contributions by appointing an Igbo representative to the State Executive Council (SEC). This request is in alignment with Bago’s pledge of an ‘All-inclusive’ government.
The Igbos, renowned for their business acumen, are key contributors to Niger State’s economic growth, particularly the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). They have consistently done so, despite facing challenges.
The state’s chapter of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo secretary, Valentine Oparaocha, articulated this request in an interview. He emphasized how Igbos, present in every part of the state and active in various markets, voted for Governor Bago. He called on the governor to reciprocate this support by including an Igbo in his cabinet, advocating for equity and justice.
Oparaocha, a retired security officer, recounted the community’s decision to support Bago, influenced by George Dike, a fellow Igbo. This decision was made despite the community’s exclusion from certain benefits distributed to the state’s other 26 non-indigenous tribes.
Oparaocha also highlighted the historical ties between the Igbos and Niger State. He reminded readers that prominent Igbo leaders, such as Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and Nigeria’s first civilian President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, were born in Niger State, indicating the long-standing influence of the Igbo community on the state’s development.
SOURCE: Independent
IMAGE: Punch
