By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Ejike Njeze, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly to ignore protests against the recent nominations made into the governing board of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

President Buhari

According to him, the protests were propaganda tools deployed by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) through its moles to distract the Presidency.

Ben Nwoye, the suspended Chairman of the APC in Enugu state, had led protests against the nomination of Mrs. Lauretta Aniagolu; accusing President Buhari of myopia because she hailed from the same local government area of the state as the Foreign Affairs Ministers, Geoffrey Onyeama.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Njeze said that since President Buhari followed the provisions of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) Act in nominating competent members of the APC as members of FERMA’s governing board, the protests were petty and inconsequential.

He said that the representation of states as stipulated in the FCC Act satisfies the values of balance and fairness; adding that considerations of local governments of origin when making appointments concerned state governors more than the President.

Njeze further said that if the protests against the nominations were based on incompetence, damning security and corruption report, or neglect of the states and the South-East region, he would have gladly thrown his weight behind it.

He said: “The protests led by Ben Nwoye against President Buhari’s nominations into FERMA governing board are not only laughable but are petty and inconsequential, especially the one against Lauretta Aniagolu on the grounds of her sharing the same local government of origin with the Foreign Affairs Minister.

“The protests are tantamount to an affront on the powers of the President to make appointments.

“The President complied with all the federal laws particularly the provisions of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) Act. So, I believe every well-meaning members of the APC will brand the protest mere propaganda and needless distraction of the federal government carried out through PDP sponsored moles within our Party.

“Quote me anywhere, I would have gladly thrown my weight behind Nwoye if he was kicking against Lauretta Aniagolu’s nomination into FERMA board on the grounds of alleged anti-Party activities, incompetence, damning security and corruption report, or the neglect of Enugu state and by extension the South-East.

“It is a shame for a self-acclaimed State Chairman to express disappointment with the nomination of a loyal Party member, from his state, into a federal board. It goes to show that his motives are not in the interest of the Party, but spring from personal and selfish interests.”

“It should be more of the business of state governors not the President to ensure that local governments of origin are put into consideration when making appointments.”