...Urges Buhari, COAS, FCC to intervene as only two Ebonyi indigenes out of 60 were admitted

By CHARLES IWUOHA

The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, Wednesday, protested against what he called “the poor and inconsequential admission” of Ebonyi indigenes into the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.

The lawmaker who bared his mind on the recent admission into the academy in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, noted that out of the four persons admitted into the NDA as Ebonyi’s quota, only two were indigenes of the State.

The four persons that were admitted, according to Ogah, were on Serial Number 2, 15, 42 and 43 of Ebonyi list. The names under Ebonyi State, he continued, were EB 33 Felix Ndubuisi Ekwe, EB 29 Daniel Chinaza Ajah, EB 27 Chinonso John Alozie and EB 21 Willofgod Adimchinaobi Chukwuemeka.

The federal lawmaker said this was unacceptable and called for its review so that more Ebonyi indigenes would be admitted into the NDA.

"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," he said.

"Out of the 60 people shortlisted, only four persons 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 and other relevant authorities in the country to intervene in this development and give Ebonyi what is due to the State, just like others," he added.

Calling for judicious application of the federal character principle in the matter, Ogah said: "The principle of Federal Character 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.”

It was 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 and Ebonyi had a total of 60 candidates on that list.

Many are still wondering the criterion that was used in the final selection that dropped 56 candidates of Ebonyi extraction.

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