There are strong indications that Ndigbo might lose out in the race for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) under Buhari because of the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate President.

Ekweremadu, yesterday, emerged as the Deputy Senate President in an election that was not sanctioned by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The APC had openly supported and endorsed the candidacy of Senator Ahmed Lawan from Yobe State but the newly sworn in Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had reached out to his colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for support. The PDP used the opportunity to negotiate for the post of the deputy senate president, which Ekweremadu eventually won.

But Ekweremadu’s emergence might deny the South-East the position of SGF, APC sources told Obindigbo that some of the APC chieftains hinted that they will put pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari not to appoint an Igo man or woman as the SGF since Ekweremadu, an Igbo man, is now a senior ranking official in the government.

In the new setting in government, only the South-South is not represented. President Buhari is from the North-west region, Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo is from the South-west, Saraki is from the North-Central, Speaker Yakubu Dogara is from the North-East, while his deputy, Hon. Yusuf Lasun is from the South-west.

The idea was reportedly mooted at the International Conference Centre (ICC) where APC chieftains and senators loyal to Lawan had gathered hoping for Buhari to address them. While at the ICC, the news filtered that Saraki and Ekweremadu had emerged as presiding officers of the upper chamber.

Immediately, the chieftains started political permutations which they agreed is only right for the South-south to be given the position of the SGF. The arrow head of the plot is the chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

If the plan goes through, it means that Chief Ogbonnaya Onu who is widely favoured for the position, might not emerge as the SGF afterall.