24th August, 2013
Ayo Oluokun/Abuja
Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso of the northern Nigerian state of Kano is not amused at all by the continuous denigration of the 2006 Nigeria census result by Chief Festus Odimegwu, the new Chairman of National Population Commission, NPC.
Odimegwu, a former managing director of Nigeria Breweries plc has since his assumption of office earlier in the year ridiculed the result of the last nationwide census conducted in 2006 in which Kano was declared the most populous state in the country.
The former brewer had told journalists early this month that Nigeria has not conducted a credible census since the country started engaging in the exercise since 1816.
Counting of residents of a state has been a very emotional and sensitive issue in Nigeria for various reasons, chief among which is that population is a factor in allocation of funds from the central to state governments.
Thus, there have been allegations that states regularly falsified their population figures to get an advantage, in the sharing of the national pie.
And Odimegwu seemed to have confirmed this when he told journalists in Abuja that Nigeria census figures were regularly distorted for selfish reasons: “Nigeria has run on falsehood for too long. We must stop this falsehood and put a stop to all of these. Because the 2006 census was not correct, the former board of NPC was unable to publish the figures. If they try it, there will be uproar”.
However, the NPC Chairman, a Southerner from Imo State has come under heavy criticisms from political heavyweights from the Northern part of the country since he made the assertions.
The North has always emerged as the most populated part of the country in Nigeria census results which have also always indicated Kano as the most populated state.
On Friday, Governor Kwankwaso told journalists after a visit to President Jonathan that if Odimegwu had not been drunk on some of his products, he would not have discredited the achievements of his predecessor in office.
He also described the appointment of former brewer as a mistake: “We are not happy about that appointment and think that it was a mistake. Festus shouldn’t be there in the first place.”
The Governor added that because Odimegwu has been in the ‘alcohol’ industry, all his life he may not have the experience necessary to carry out the job of the NPC Chairman.
“And my guess is that he’s taking a lot of his products and that is why we feel that his appointment is a mistake because he cannot be the chairman of NPC and at the same time be attacking what his predecessor had done,” said Kwankwaso.
“And my guess is that he’s taking a lot of his products and that is why we feel that his appointment is a mistake because he cannot be the chairman of NPC and at the same time be attacking what his predecessor had done,” said Kwankwaso. “Even if it was wrong, he now has the good opportunity to correct it, but instead of doing that, he has been running around to discredit the 2006 census,” added the Governor, who said he first met the NPC Chairman at a brewery in the eastern part of the country in 2006
“And they said he was the head but the way he was talking then, I knew immediately after the appointment that there was a mistake there.”
.You can make your contribution on this issue: Was Festus odimegwu really high on Nigeria Breweries products for the doubts he cast on the integrity of the 2006 census? Is Governor Kwankwaso right to call for Odimegwu’s sack?