Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has downplayed claims of intentional marginalisation and expressed confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s responsiveness to regional concerns, characterising the Southeast’s exclusion from recent Renewed Hope development projects as likely an oversight that will be corrected.
Jibrin brushed off claims of systematic exclusion during an interview with NASSTV. “I believe it’s most likely an omission. We must not go to that extent. It’s likely an oversight on the part of those who are responsible for doing this, you know. Therefore, there’s no use in engaging in a protracted argument,” he said.
The deputy president of the Senate was hopeful that the error would be quickly fixed. “It might be an omission; we have alerted the relevant authorities, and they will fix it. Our president listens, cares, and is someone we can trust. In other words, no one is flawless. It might have been an oversight, and his actions now serve as a wake-up call. We’ve sent the message, and they’ve received it and will fix it,” he stated.
Additionally, Kebbi State Senator Adamu Aliero cautioned against drawing hasty judgements regarding the allocation pattern. He argued that the Renewed Hope project intends to develop the entire nation, eventually including the Southeast, and reminded colleagues that it covers a variety of sectors, including power and road infrastructure.
Aliero insisted that it is still too soon to declare that marginalisation has taken place and advised senators to hold off on making decisions until the full picture is known.
Enugu West Senator Osita Ngwu was adamantly opposed to calling the exclusion a straightforward error. Given the Southeast’s history of neglect, he expressed concern that the exclusion represents a serious oversight and asked when the region would ever receive significant allocations comparable to other regions.
Ngwu pointed to the abandoned Ivo Dam as proof of continued disregard, pointing out that despite initial funding, the project has been unfinished for more than 12 years.
In support of calls for Southeast inclusion, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu proposed that Senate resolutions include other dams in the area. He maintained that although the federal government does not take advantage of dam resources that could aid farmers in boosting agricultural output, Abia State produces more rice than Ebonyi State.
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