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Chief of Army Staff, Major-General O.A. IhejirikaProminent Igbo politicians on Sunday, said the appointment of Major-General Oneabo Ihejirika as the new Chief of Army Staff was purely on merit.The politicians, under the aegies of Igbo Political Forum argued that appointing Ihejirika had no political consideration and that it was not meant to pacify the Igbo.The Forum, which spoke in Abuja, on Sunday, also condemned the sacking of the former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, describing the former IG as “a hardworking, efficient and dedicated police officer.”The Forum said Ihejirka’s appoinment was not a pacification of the Igbo to get their support for the 2011 presidential ambition of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, but that the new COAS appointment was purely on merit.The organisation, with membership that include former Senate President, Dr. Ken Nnamani; a former governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo; Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Senator Ben Obi; the Peoples Democratic Party’s 2010 governorship candidate in Anambra State, Prof. Chukuma Soludo; former governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa; Hon. Dubem Onyia; former governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu; Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu; and Prof. Chinwe Obaji, among others, said the appointment was not based on political consideration given Ihejirika’s sound professional and strategic depth and his loyalty, commitment and dedication to the nation’s Armed Forces.The group, in a statement by its Secretary, Chief Chyna Iwuanyanwu, argued that the appointment was not a plus to the Igbo.It said, “We also want to place it on public record that before the recent changes, the Igbo people had two top military and security positions, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police: Air Marshal Paul Dike and Mr. Ogbonna Onovo respectively. With the changes announced, that number has dropped to one.”The Forum said they could not understand the rationale behind the removal of Onovo, who, according to them, did not only have a humane deposition but “is also appreciative of the necessity of community policing in Nigeria’s current democratic age.”The group said, “If, as the media have been disclosing, his removal stems mainly from the state of insecurity in the nation, particularly the South-East, it is surprising that his current replacement, IGP Hafiz Ringim was the AIG in charge of the South-East Zone 9, before his present elevation.“While we are not imputing any ulterior motive behind Mr. Onovo’s removal and his replacement with the former Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Ringim who was in charge of the Bayelsa State Police Command when DSP Alamieyesigha was impeached from office as the governor, we aver that the recent changes in the police command are unnecessary and un-called for.”
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