Jonathan Sacrifices Odimegwu To Please North

Sir Tony Okocha (right) in a handshake with the Kirikata Master, Oba Omega.

Nigeria’s census chief has been forced to resign by President Goodluck Jonathan in his bid to please the largely Muslim north ahead of the country’s 2015 presidential ballot in which he is expected to offer himself for re-election.
A statement yesterday (Thursday) afternoon from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim said, Eze Festus Odimegwu has resigned his position as chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC).
The statement gave no explanation as to what led to the resignation but however, named the commissioner representing Abia State, Dr Sam Ahaiwe, as the acting chairman of the commission, pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.
Odimegwu, who had hardly settled down as NPC chairman, when controversy over a comment impinging on the credibility and integrity of past census results brought him and a section of northern leaders on collission course.
He had been alleged to have said that previous census exercises were rigged in favour of the North, and had vowed to correct the situation in the forthcoming census.
His utterances did not, however, go down well with Muslim northern leaders, who mounted a campaign for his removal.
Odimegwu was subsequently queried late August by the Presidency and suspended for alleged mismanagement, reckless utterances and embarrassment of the government.
His voluntary resignation yesterday, President Goodluck Jonathan’s acceptance of same and the swift appointment of an acting chairman for the commission speak volumes of the deep-seated interest of the Northern oligachy in continuing to control decision making of Federal Government irrespective of who is the president and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.