Rights Groups Name Buhari’s Govt Most Unpopular in South-east
Says Imo, Abia never been blessed with good governors
A coalition of rights groups operating in the South-east of Nigeria have declared President Muhammadu Buhari’s government as the most unpopular and unfriendly federal government among the people of the zone.
The groups at a joint press briefing under the aegis of Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights and Good Governance Organisations (SBCHROs), said it is the most unfavourable to the people of the zone, adding it has also not hidden its unfriendliness to the people.
In a 22-page report titled: ‘The best and the worst in South-east, the groups totalling 17 in number and led by International Society for Human Rights and the Rule of law (Intersociety), lamented that discriminatory practices against the Igbo were yet to abate under President Buhari.
“The zone needs a standard international seaport and bridge linking Ogwu-ikpele in Ogbaru local council of Anambra and Ndoni in Rivers State. As for Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu it is a makeshift.
“We decry the general poverty and insecurity and failure of leadership in the country. We also lament the killings in the South-east, lopsided composed security organisation, corrupt and incompetent policing in the zone which has led to the fleecing of the people of N14 billion between last year and now in roadblocks and others.”
The group while rating governance in the South-east, said Imo and Abia States have produced worst governors in the zone in the current political dispensation.
It said both states have repeatedly produced bad governors, saying this accounts for their large scale underdevelopment.
SBCHROs rated Enugu, Ebonyi and Anambra as having been luckier, except that the record of Anambra was dented by one of her governors who ran a single term, earlier in the present political dispensation.
It stated that good governance and charismatic leadership has eluded the South-east zone, causing her to be shackled by what they referred to as transactional governance and chronic bad leadership.
“From the Second Republic to date, Chief Sam Mbakwe of Imo State, Chief Jim Nwobodo of old Anambra State and Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra State stand out as former governors whose performance is written on the marble.
“Within the zone, Chief Rochas Okorocha of Imo State stands out as the worst serving governor, while Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju of Anambra State (1999-2003), Chief Orji Uzor Kalu and his successor, Chief Theodore Orji of Abia State belonged to worst past governors.”
It charged South-east governors to be proactive and efficient in strengthening the internal and external security of the zone against “well oiled and coordinated widespread violent attacks against Christian population and their churches by the terror Fulani herdsmen.”
Some of the groups include: Civil Liberties Organisation, Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy, Human Rights Organisation of Nigeria, Society Watch and Advocacy Project and International Solidarity for Peace and Human Rights Initiative among several others.