The APC leadership in Southeast has always expressed worried over the way minister of Petroleum talk to Nigerians in the wake of fuel scarcity.
A statement on Sunday by the APC Southeast chapter, signed by Rosita Okechukwu said their leader Asiwaju Tinubu, has constitutional right to call the minister to order
“Whereas, our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not only politically correct but has the constitutional rights to condemn the awkward joke made by the Hon Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, over the national embarrassment caused our great country by the ugly fuel supply chain logjam; however, the South East Zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) do not subscribe to the call for his resignation.
“Those who call for his resignation should not forget the transparent, frugal and prudent manner in which Kachikwu and co deployed in the petroleum product importation and fuel supply chain; a policy which has saved our dear country over N500 billion for the country.
“May we also remind those who call for his resignation, how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) turned the petroleum product importation and fuel supply chain into a slush fund, recklessly increased the cost geometrically from N634 billion in 2010 to N1.6 trillion in 2012. In 2013, N888 billion was officially budgeted with a supplementary budget of N232 billion in the same year, making an average N1 trillion per annum.
“It is our considered opinion that Kachikwu should stay, for bringing sanity to the petroleum product important and fuel supply chain in the last 10 months.”
My people,
It is quite a welcome news that after all said and done that the South-East wing of APC took a sane decision not to support the position of reactionaries in that political party who are calling for the resignation of the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mazi Ike Kachukwu.
Honestly, I quite agree with the decision that Alhaji Bola Tinubu as the leader of his APC political party has the constitutional right to call any of the membership and functionaries to order where any of them fail to represent what the party stands for.
However, I would unequivocally emphasize that the Minister’s response on the present fuel shortage in the country, in no way merit making him a sacrificial lamb for the Fuel crisis in the country which was created by Bola Tinubu and most of the reactionaries calling for the head of Mr. Kachukwu.
Honestly, enough is enough where Ministers and office holders of highly placed positions in Nigeria from certain areas in the Federation would be singled out for criticism, or malign and force to give up their office.
Incidentally, it is people of a particular ethnic nationality in the country who time without number are in the forefront or fond of fabricating and lead in every campaign of calumny against ndi-Igbo and the other ethnic nationalities occupying strategic position in the government of the Federation of Nigeria. Statistics show that in most cases, those victims end up resigning, fired or give up their post. I am, therefore using this opportunity to call for an end to the victimization, de-marginalization and prevention of some ethnic groups in the country to make an in-road or prevent to occupy strategic post and/or not given the opportunity to participate in the governance of the Nigerian nation.
Having said this, I would reiterate that Mr. Kachukwu did not in any way commit any offence for been honest and transparent in disclosing the true situation with the current fuel shortage in the country. To my dismay, he did disclose, as the Minister in charge of Petroleum, the arrangement which his office is making to resolve the crisis. Therefore, I see nothing that would prompt the cry for his resignation at this point in time. I would rather think that Alhaji Tinubu and his henchmen are the ones fishing in a pond without any fish to catch. Ndewonu.
Mazi Izuchukwu B. Ihemelu
Emenyio ya anya, ma Chukwu kwe
n’Aguluezechukwu.