Federal Appointments: Akure Indigenes Bemoan Alleged Marginalization

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

Akure indigenes have decried what they described as marginalization of the ancient city in the distribution of federal board appointments.

Akure Study Team (AST), an intellectual-political group of indigenes of the city, at the weekend said in a statement that the sharing of appointments allocated to Ondo state was skewed against Akure South Local Government Area.

The statement, which was signed by the group’s Coordinator, Barrister Taiwo Samson Kayode and Secretary, Fisayo Falarungbon, said President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were not fair to the people of the city despite their support in 2015 general elections.

The group said it was highly regrettable that only one appointment, which was membership of a Federal Medical Center, could be given to Akure South as reflected in the list of federal board appointments that was released in December, last year.

“We, therefore, call on Federal Government to consider that Akure South Local Government Area deserves more than one inconsequential position in the federal boards while reviewing the appointment list as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We beseech Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the state governor; Chief Pius Akinyelure, the APC national vice chairman (Southwest) and Engr. Ade Adetimehin, the APC acting state chairman, to kindly use their good offices to point attention of Mr. president to this and do the necessary amendment.

“We also call on the Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial District, Chief Omotayo Alasoadura, and the representative of the Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency, Hon. Afe Olowookere, in the National Assembly to take up the matter with a view to addressing the regrettable marginalization of Akure South Local Government Area in the distribution of federal appointments.

“Other prominent indigenes of Akure, traditional rulers and socio-political groups should not fold their arms while things are not well with the city and our people in the space called Nigeria.”

The group however, commended President Buhari for ordering the review of the list and asked him to seize the opportunity to address the alleged marginalization of the state capital in the appointment distribution.

The statement Read: “Out of the scores of appointments given to the state, only one was allocated to Akure, the state capital, while there are local government areas that were given positions raging from five to nine.

“Investigations even revealed to us that the only person who was appointed from Akure South, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, was able to secure the position through the influence of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from a neighboring state.

“So, we find it regrettable that despite the overwhelming support given to President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC in the 2015 general elections by the people of Akure, what the city deserves from the federal board appointments distribution is only one position which is membership of a Federal Medical Center.