The Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), has carpeted David Umahi, Minister of Works over what it said were careless, unguarded, embarrassing comment against Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last presidential election.
Umahi had accused Obi of inciting the Igbo against the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu, following his criticism of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
The ADF in a statement on Friday by Chukwuemeka Obinwugo, its Publicity Secretary, rebuked the minister, noting that no right thinking Igbo can make such careless unguarded embarrassing comment, much less a representative of the Igbo nation in government
The organisation noted that it wished to make it "glaringly clear to all and sundry that Alaigbo and Nd'Igbo will no longer stomach the politics of Igbo against Igbo. This smacks of lack of respect for the land and the people."
It continued, "By the Nigerian Constitution and governance policy, positions are given to persons to reflect the character of the Federation, that is to say, persons occupying offices, especially at the Federal level, do so on the anchor and basis of the land/state they come from, thus translating to the people they represent on whose behalf they hold such offices.
"Instances abound and well known to Nd'Igbo, of our elected and appointed representatives taking positions or speaking on national issues in ways and manners that are obviously against the existential interests of Nd'Igbo and even so, very embarrassing to them.
"It's only among Igbos in government that you hear the kind of statement recently credited to the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, speaking on the demolition of the multi-billion Landmark complex. He was reported to have said that Peter Obi is inciting Igbos."
The ADF said Umahi's remarks were irresponsible, stating that, "No right thinking Igbo can make such careless unguarded embarrassing comment, much less a representative of the Igbo nation in government. We shall no longer ignore or permit such carelessness among our people in government.
"The ADF will henceforth hold such adverse representatives accountable for their actions and words as it concerns Nd'Igbo. Igbos deserve respect from those who represent them in any capacity in government and will demand no less, going forward.
"It is such anti-people comments and actions of our sons and daughters in government that create the wrong impressions that Igbos are not united, that Igbos are sellouts, that Igbos love money more than anything, that Igbos can easily be shortchanged in public administration in Nigeria, amidst such similar negative profiling, nationally and globally.
"Our representatives and leaders in government should begin to realize in practical terms that sovereignty resides in the people and they in government are indeed public, that is, people's service providers. They should not demarket or degrade us and our cherished values any longer at the alter of 'good boyism' in government. Enough is enough!"
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