Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment has disclosed how a recent meeting of President Muhammadu Buhari with Igbo leaders and some serving ministers was orchestrated.
POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that an Igbo delegation led by First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amechi met with President Buhari last Friday where the Nigerian leader promised to consider their demand for the release of the leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, even though the demand was heavy and has implications for the separation of power.
According to Ngige, Amechi initiated the meeting and he bought into the idea.
Ngige told Vanguard in an interview on Sunday: “When Honourable Mbazulike initiated it and consulted me, we agreed that it is a worthwhile journey. Mbazulike was one of the three old wise men that worked with me when I was governor in Anambra State. When he came up with this request I decided also that it was a step in the right direction.
“He said that it is what will give him the last joy before he departs from this planet. So, I am happy to be involved in it. The President also said that being an old man of 93 years this request is very heavy even though it has some implications.
“I acted as a facilitator, he copied me the letter to Mr President and called me on the phone when he had not gotten any reply. With my own copy, I met Mr President.
“One of the things mentioned by Mbazulike Amechi is the heavy presence of security on South-East roads. The place is swamped with too many security men. It is not that we are against security men being there because there was a lot of killing by known and unknown gunmen, but we said that the security down there should be professional in the discharge of their functions just as they were during the elections.”
