The Igbo apex body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has rejected the Deputy Speakership position zoned to the South East, describing it as highly unreflective, and disgusting to the Igbo.
The body was reacting to the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives to the South East where it named Hon. Benjamin Kalu from Abia State as beneficiary.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, said, it has rejected the second highest office of the House to the South East and directed all lawmakers of the Igbo extraction to disregard the APC zoning and vote candidates of their choice.
Ohanaeze said:
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has watched with grave concern the zoning of principal officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We have also observed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) zoned the position of the Deputy Speaker to the South East of Nigeria.
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo states that allocating the position of the Deputy Speaker to the South East is highly unreflective, disgusting and provocative to the Igbo.”
“To this end, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Chief Engr. Dr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, CFR (Ahaejiagamba), directs all the Igbo lawmakers in the 10th National Assembly to vote according to their discretions irrespective of state, religion or ethnicity,” the statement added.
