Jonathan alienating Yoruba - S/West leaders 

 

WORRIED by the continued marginalisation of Yoruba ethnic nationality in federal appointments, leaders of thought from the South-West geo-political zone, on Wednesday, accused the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan of systematically excluding the Yoruba nation from the federation in terms of appointments without justification.
The Yoruba leaders, while addressing a world press conference in Ibadan, called on President Jonathan to redress the “systematic discrimination” against the Yoruba nationality in federal appointive positions without delay, saying that the Yoruba have been getting “crumbs” from the administration.
Speaking in unison under the aegis of the Yoruba Unity Forum, umbrella body for all Yoruba sons and daughters, the leaders, armed with a long list of those at the apex of political power as well as those in control of the principal economic and financial agencies from which no South-West person was included, said the Yoruba did not deserve the humiliation it was getting from President Jonathan who was massively voted for in the region in 2011.
YUF also accused the Jonathan administration of implementing Yoruba ethnic cleansing agenda as evident in the sack of Yoruba sons and daughters in federal agencies such as the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and their replacement with 107 staffers from the South-East region.
“The President (South-South); Vice President (North-West); Senate President (North Central); Speaker (North-West); Chief Justice of the Federation (North-West); Deputy Senate President (South-East); Deputy Speaker (South-East); Acting President Court of Appeal (North-West); Secretary to the Government of the Federation (South-East); Chief of Staff (South-South); National Security Adviser (North-West); Head of Service of the Federation (North-East).
Of the 12 topmost positions in the country, no single Yoruba person was included.
“Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy (South-East); Governor of the Central Bank (North-West); Minister of Petroleum (South-South); GMD NNPC (North-West); Chairman, National Council on Privatisation (North-West); Comptroller of Customs (North-West); MD Nigerian Ports Authority (North-West); Minister, National Planning Commission (North-West); DG, Bureau of Public Procurement (South-East); Acting Comptroller of Immigration (North); Minister of Power (South-East),” the long list read in part.
In the statement read by Chief Falae, the YUF said that out of the 12 topmost positions that constitute the apex of political hierarchy in the country, no Yoruba person is represented, adding that President Jonathan had compounded the problems by deliberately failing to include Yoruba persons in the major appointive positions.
The Forum noted that the control of the principal economic and financial agencies, education management agencies,  security services, bureaucracy, information and broadcasting agencies, as well as control of the judiciary and the anti-corruption agencies,