Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has urged President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to allocate more ministerial positions to the South-East, emphasizing the importance of equity and federal character.
During a visit to the APC’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, on Thursday, Kalu highlighted the distribution of the ministerial slots. While North-West received 10 slots, North-East and North-Central each got eight, South-West and South-South both secured nine, leaving the South-East with only five.
Speaking to the media post-meeting, Kalu, who represents the Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State, stressed that the South-East merited more positions. He mentioned, “We’re advocating for additional slots for the South-East. We’re grateful to the President for recognizing our contributions, especially with my appointment as Deputy Speaker. But we urge him, given his generous nature, to consider increasing the number of ministerial roles for our region.”
The meeting with Ganduje also addressed other pivotal topics, including national balance, loyalty, cohesion, and the principles of federal character in appointments and projects.
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President-General of the premier Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, also voiced concerns. He labeled the allocation of only five ministerial positions to the South-East as ‘unjust’ and ‘unfair.’ He asserted, “For a truly united Nigeria, there must be fairness, justice, and equity for all ethnic groups, including the Igbo.” He also lamented the reduced political power and revenue allocation for the South-East.
