...To answer you directly on what Kwankwaso did as Minister of Defence that ensured that Igbo officers grew in the military, which had nothing to do with money, but fairness. There are two important things in this respect and I have told this group the story in the past. However, you did not care to read them;


1. He removed the name of an Igbo Officer from retirement list. The person is AVM Paul Dike then. I played a role to appeal to Kwankwaso on grounds that Dike is a brilliant person. Kwankwaso listened and extended the Service of Dike. Everyone on that list were all retired, including officers from the North and South West. Igbos benefited. Not long, same AVM Dike was appointed Head of the Air Force. Igbos in the Air Force became alive because of the coming of Dike. Same Dike later became Chief of Defence Staff and overall head of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Igbos in all the Armed Forces became alive. Paul Dike became a Four Star General, the most high ranking officer in the Nigerian Military. When it was time to appoint Chief of Army Staff , Air Chief Marshal Dike ensured that an Igbo man from Abia State, in the person of General Ihejirika was appointed Chief of Army State. General Ihejirika ensured that many Igbos became Generals in the Army. My brothers, these are how strategic issues are handled and not through sentiments. All these became possible because of a single favour Senator Kwankwaso extended to our brother AVM Paul Dike then.


2. I told this group a positive story that involved an Uga son who was a Senator when Kwankwaso was  Minister of Defence. This Uga son is Senator Uzochukwu Uba. I was in Air Force Headquarters then. I saw that many Igbo officers were about to be retired on grounds that they were going for their last attempts at a senior officers promotion board. If not promoted, they will face retirement. From previous statistics, only  2 Igbos were usually promoted to red neck officers every year. Yet those going for their last attempts and new ones were more than 20. With courage I went to Senator Uzochukwu Uba from Uga for him to appeal to Kwankwaso to appoint an Igbo man President of the Board that year. Since inception of Air Force,  no Igbo man was made President of promotion board for promotion of Generals in the military. Senator Uzochukwu Uba called Kwankwaso immediately and he agreed to appoint AVM Marizu from Imo State to head the promotion board that year. In that year alone 14 Igbos were promoted. This is against the usual two that were always given to SE. The following year, when AVM Dike became the Head of the Air Force, 16 Igbos were promoted to red necks. All these happened because of the actions of Senator Kwankwaso, who was Minister of Defence. Thank God Senator Ugochukwu Uba is from Uga. Those who want to verify the story can call him. My brothers, this is how to strategise and get things for our people and not through insults and throwing of stones.


 _From: AVM JC IFEMEJE Rtd (NNPP Deputy National Chairman)_