The decision of South east governors to name the newly commissioned second Niger bridge located at Onitsha in Anambra State after President Muhammadu Buhari whose 8-year tenure will elapse on May, 29, has elicited condemnation from a cross section of Nigerians, who berated the protagonists of the idea for playing to the gallery at the expense of the Igbo identity that is relegated to the back ground.
The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Imo State, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who spoke through his Media Adie, Ikenna Onouoha, described the development as a bad omen and an assault on the sensibilities of the Southeasteners.
He recalled that construction of the bridge was started under the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan but was not completed before the expiration of his tenure.
Senator Anyanwu argued that the Buhari administration could not have continued the project if it was initiated by the former President.
‘’I am not really comfortable with the naming of the second Niger bridge after an outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari by the Southeast governors. Frankly speaking, it does not tell good of us from the region.
“Perhaps, the Southeast governors have forgotten in a hurry the role Mr. President played against Ndigbo to have summoned the courage to name the bridge after him (Buhari).
“I’m really disgusted and appalled over that hasty decision made by the Southeast governors. Every Igboman should condemn this.
“It is true that the outgoing President has completed the bridge which is a laudable one as is believed to be his parting gift to Ndigbo, one thing remains obvious that Igbos do not honour their own products. I mean, there are the likes of Nnamdi Azikiwes, Chinua Achebes and other prominent sons and daughters of Igboland who fought for the Nigerian nationality.
“It is also worrisome that some of our Southeast governors, especially the ones from APC, are merely struggling to make themselves relevant to those they call national leaders of their parties. This is not right. It was for this same reason that the governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi, also named the new international airport in the state after the outgoing President.”
