BEVERLY HILLS, CA, October 17, (THEWILL) – Mr. Festus Odimegwu, the embattled Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) has suddenly resigned from office barely two months after he was issued a query by the federal government following his open criticisms of past census exercises in the country which he said were manipulated to favour the northern part of Nigeria, and promised to address the issue during the next count scheduled for 2016.
Odimegwu’s position pitched him against powerful and influential Muslim blocks in the North, who swung into action pressing President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his sack even though he was appointed barely a year ago.
A Thursday statement from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) announced Odimegwu’s resignation and offered no further information.
Dr. Sam Ahaiwe, a commissioner at the NPC, representing Abia State was named Acting Chairman, according to the statement.
Political watchers believe President Jonathan sacrificed Odimegwu to placate northern interests as he readies his controversial re-election bid which has received solid resistance from some northern interests following an unwritten agreement that he entered with them in 2011 that he would not seek re-election.
Full text of statement reads: “President Goodluck Jonathan has accepted the resignation of Eze Festus Odimegwu as chairman of the National Population Commission with effect from Thursday, October 17, 2013.
“Dr. Sam Ahaiwe, commissioner representing Abia State in the Commission, will act as chairman pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.”
