Gbonigi, Falae, others accuse Jonathan of marginalising Yoruba

By REMI ADEFULU
Leading Yoruba leaders under the aegis of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) have accused President Goodluck Jonathan of marginalising the Yoruba race in his administration Speaking with journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State yesterday, they said specifically that of the 12 most strategic positions in government, the Yoruba was not represented at all.
According to the former secretary to government of the federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, who was the main speaker, there was a flagrant disobedience of the Nigeria constitution sworn to by the president. He said the committee set up by the president in October 2011 to review and work on the appointment of board members of federal statutory corporations and agency had no Yoruba person.
Falae observed that the few Yoruba in government held insignificant positions, as they had no representative in key offices, saying those who were lucky to be in offices were facing serious humiliation. Apparently putting the blame at the doorstep of the president, he reasoned that though some of the 12 key positions in government were elective, adding that Jonathan could have appointed Yoruba into some of them to reflect federal character.
Speaking further, the former SGF said the issue cut across economic, judiciary and other sectors. In the judiciary, for instance, he said no Yoruba was heading any of the judicial arms of government or any agency responsible for criminal investigation and prosecution. “The judiciary now seems to have been calculatingly structured to keep the Yoruba out of the position of chief justice of the federation for the foreseeable future, even though there has been no Yoruba occupant for the last 26 years.
“This is in spite of the leading position of Yoruba in the legal profession in the country,” Falae said Also speaking, leader of the forum, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi and Senator Tony Adefuye called for concerted effort among Yoruba to remedy the situation. Dignitaries at the event included former health minister, Prof. Adenike Grange; former Lagos State deputy governor, Mrs Kofo Akerele –Bucknor; Moshood Salvador, Senator Bode Olajumoke, Senator Femi Okunrounmu and Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa.
TheSun