Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has voiced his concerns for the continuous marginalisation of the South-East, saying that there is nothing to suggest the region is part of Nigeria.
Governor Okorocha made this known during the one-day working visit of Acting President Yemi Osinbanjo on Tuesday.
The governor noted that the Igbo region had been short-changed, especially in the areas of appointments and allocation of Federal projects.
Okorocha, who is the chairman of the All Progressives Congress Governors Forum, said: “No other group in Nigeria that had invested as much into our nationhood can sing the song of marginalisation as much as Ndigbo has been made to sing it.
“We have nothing to show that we are part of the Nigerian project; neither do we have any sense of belonging in the present government at the national level.
“We have been marginalised both in terms of projects and appointments. In Imo State, for instance, all we have is a Minister of State to show for all the efforts and extreme sacrifices we made to ensure that the All Progressive Congress (APC) had a good outing in the last general elections.
“I know you are the Acting President and have the ears of the President. So, there is no better person to tell our painful story than you. You need to take a second look at what is happening in the South-East. No serious political appointment, no visible federal infrastructure so far, to show the presence of federal government in the South-East in general.”
He added: “I beg that as the government gives subsequent appointments let the qualified sons and daughters of the state and region are considered.
“Those in business should be considered for federal patronage.
“Imo state played major role in bringing APC to power because if what had taken place in other states was allowed to happen in Imo State and other states in the South-East, probably we wouldn’t have had the APC government today.
“Given the roles that I personally played as a sacrificial lamb in the South- East during the elections, my state deserves a better deal.
“There is no federal government presence in the oil-producing areas, and none of our youths benefitted from the federal government’s Amnesty Programme.
“I also use this opportunity to ask for the quick refund of the money spent by the state on Imo International Cargo Airport and on some federal roads in the state.”
Meanwhile, the Ohaneze Ndigbo has warned that most Igbos may soon join Biafra agitation is the region continues to be marginalised and treated unfairly.