Egbo Grace-Abakaliki
THE Member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State at the National Assembly, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, (OON) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya, the Federal Character Commission, FCC and other relevant authories in the country to always allocate what rightfully belong to Ebonyi to the State.
intervene into the matter and give Ebonyi what is due to her just like others.
Hon. Ogah, Stated this in Abakaliki following the poor and inconsequential admission of Ebonyi indigenes into the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.
According to him, out of the four (4) persons admitted into the NDA in the name of Ebonyi state, only two were indigenes of the State.
“We want to call on the authorities of the Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA to look into the decision they took on the names released under Ebonyi quota as only two out of the names are Indigenes of Ebonyi State.”
“Out of the 60 people shortlisted, only four persons were made it under Ebonyi. This is an act of negligence and marginalization. We call on them to reconsider their decision. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari, Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya, the Federal Character Commission, FCC and other relevant authories in the country to intervene into this development and give Ebonyi what is due to the State, just like others.”
According to him: “The principle of Federal Character Commission, FCC should be applied in this matter. We want the authorities concerned to give Ebonyi State its total quota. It is not that Ebonyi indigenes did not apply. Over 1000 Ebonyi Indigenes applied to the NDA.
“We have eminently qualified and certified indigenes of Ebonyi State who applied to the NDA. This case of marginalization and negligence should be addressed. Ebonyi State is part of Nigeria and it should not be relegated to the background. It is not proper for our quota to be given to other States.
“This is pure negligence and marginalization of Ebonyi people. We have competent Ebonyi Indigenes both males and females who applied. The four persons that were successfully admitted are on serial number 2, 15, 42 and 43 of Ebonyi list. The names under Ebonyi State are EB 33 Felix Ndubuisi Ekwe, EB 29 Daniel Chinaza Ajah, EB 27 Chinonso John Alozie and EB 21 Willofgod Adimchinaobi Chukwuemeka.”
Standard times gathered that the list of successful and reserve candidates for the admission into 73 regular combatant course was derived from the successful Post UTME candidates as Ebonyi had a total of 60 candidates on that list.
However, many are still wondering the criterion that was used in the final selection that dropped 56 candidates of Ebonyi extraction
