Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State, Ministry of Labour accused of sponsoring various Court cases to return to House of Representatives and to fullfil her ambition to be Speaker.

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

The Niger Delta Rights Advocates (NDRA) group has accused the Minister of State for Labour, Mrs Nkiruka Onyeojacha of anti-party activities for allegedly sponsoring Courts cases to ensure she finds her way back to the House of Representatives and destabilizes existing party zoning arrangement.

The Women Wing of the NDRA said it is worried that if the Minister of State for Labour is not called to order, her self-serving agenda would destabilize the House of Representatives leadership and throw a spanner into the existing cooperation between the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas-led House of Representatives and the Executive arm of government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Mrs Mrs Nkiruka Onyeojacha, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour was for over 11 years the federal Lawmaker representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia in the House of Representatives.

However, in a press statement jointly signed on behalf of Women Wing by Clara Nkwocha, National Women Leader, and Gloria Kagbara, Welfare Officer, NDRA, cautioned that from available information, the desperation of Hon Onyejeocha to return to the House of Representatives is a gamble taken too far since members believe that she should have been contented with a Ministerial position magnanimously given to her by Mr. President.

NDRA said its wanted the National Leadership of the APC to call the Minister of State for Labour to order to cease from sponsoring court cases that are injurious to the party and capable of dragging the name of Mr President to the mud.

The group further pointed out that Hon Onyejeocha’s actions, by our calculations is aimed at creating unnecessary tension between the people of the South-East and the North-West who were rightfully (based on number of votes delivered to the party, ceded the Speakership position), thus, dreaming to alter the existing political algorithm between the North and South based on the fact that the South already has the Presidency and the Senate Presidency.

The group recalled that the organisation issued a communique on August 26th 2023 on a potpourri of issues which included the vexed issue of appointing and recycling persons very well known in the nine states that make up the Niger Delta region, as “poli-preneurs” into Cabinet as Ministers. As if we knew that today would come, some of such individuals who has not settled down to design a roadmap to end the incessant trade disputes witnessed in the country which her Ministry should be proferring solutions/ tackling, is Nkiruka Onyeojacha (Minister of State, Labour).

NDRA Women Wing said it is alarmed at the haste with which Minister Onyeojacha is allegedly running around the Courts to ensure she finds her way back to the House of Representatives for a futitious journey to represent her selfish interest and not that of her constituents by ensuring the destabilization of the House Leadership and by extension becoming a cog in the wheel of progress of the Tinubu administration.

Furthermore, the group pointed out that one of the reasons for the agitations by Civil Society Organisations in this country for the implementation of the 35% Affirmative Action for Women, is simply to ensure greater visibility for the women folk and not to diminish it.

NDRA said that by its calculation a paltry 19.5 percent of Mr President’s cabinet Ministers are women, which is presently less 35 percent Affirmative Action For Women. It, therefore, becomes illogical the reason behind one of the women sponsoring Court cases from behind in order to destabilize her own party,the APC.Why will Onyeojacha want to lose that Ministerial slot reserved for women with the dream of returning to the House of Representatives and was to become Speaker of Parliament?

The women advocacy group says that its concern as women is the fact that this might cast a shadow of doubt on the loyalty, integrity and consistency of women from Niger Delta region as greedy fellows and which they we are not, thus, the need for this public statement.

The group called on Mr President, and indeed APC as a party to look into allowing space for more women to contribute to national development as good home managers, women can help cut down the cost of governance and offer greater accountability in public service.

Members of the women advocacy group appealled for more women to be considered for appointments into Boards, Agencies and Parastatals of Government despite the alleged disingenuous and scheming of Hon Onyejeocha.

Our Correspondent recalls that 9th during the 9th Assembly Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC-Abia),who was a member of House of Representatives in 2019 aspired to lead the as Speaker.

She was quoted in (TheNEWS of 23 April 2019),as asserting that she was competent and qualified to lead the House of Representatives because of her years of experience in the lower chamber.

Onyejeocha, who stated this at a press briefing in Abuja, also said that there was need for equity in the sharing of political offices in the country.

”In my over 11 years of being a member of the House of Representatives. I have served my constituents and Nigeria diligently and with distinction.

”I have sponsored several motions and bills, conducted oversight over multiple activities and initiatives of government, ministries, departments and agencies and helped to deliver meaningful constituency projects to the people of Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia that I represent.

”I have chaired very important committees of the House, including the Committees of Aviation and Women in Parliament.

”As the Chairperson of the Aviation Committee of the House for two sessions now, I oversighted the successful building of the new International Airport Terminal in Abuja, as well as the remodeling and renovation of several other airports and runways across the country.

”I believe that I am very well equipped with knowledge, experience and the integrity needed to manage bigger responsibilities.

”It is in the light of this, that I offer myself for consideration by my colleagues for a higher responsibility as a presiding officer and speaker of the House of Representatives of the 9th National Assembly,” she said.