Festus Odimegwu Runs Helter Skelter To Retain Population Commission Job

…lobbies first lady, Patience Jonathan to avoid sack

Former boss of Nigeria Breweries, Mr Festus Odimegwu is in disarray.

Sources confirmed he is presently employing all connections and influences at his disposal to protect his new employment.

He is the new Chairman of the National Population Commission.

And his appointment is threatened over stance that has offended a powerful political block – ‘the North’.

The former gubernatorial aspirant in Imo state had publicly condemned past exercises of the body he now heads.

A development that earned him the tag ‘drunkard’ from key player amongst Northern elements, Alhaji Rabiu kwakwaso, the Governor of Kano state.

The state head man had further labelled Odimegwu’s appointment a mistake, maintaining ‘Festus shouldn’t be there in the first place…He had only one thing and it is in the alcoholic industry, all his life’.

The hard knocks from the Kano Governor in a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan gave way to a query to the former brewery boss and subsequent call for Odimegwu’s sack by powerful Northern agenda forum- The Arewa Consultative Forum (A.C.F).

The group hinged the move on assertion that Odimegwu’s outright condemnation, rather correction of past actions of his predecessors has ‘exposed’ his inability to do his job in ‘an honest’ manner.

Charged with the responsibility of conducting the 2016 national head count, the new Population Commission Boss had alleged past counting were manipulated to favour a particular section of the country to the detriment of the others.

It is on record that the North enjoy massive numbers- that gives an edge in national wealth distribution- above other regions in past census figures.

Findings revealed though Odimegwu is viewed as correct in some sectors, and calls for his sack seen as political- the appropriateness of his action does not determine his fate.

He faces loss of national relevance, he may not bounce back from if he is sacked.

According to insiders ‘it is a matter that would be decided by the influences at play’

Sources claimed this is why Odimegwu is running helter, skelter to pile up ‘ a war chest of influence’ to curtail the danger of being sacrificed on the altar of political horse trading and permutations.

Insiders revealed, he has reached out to the individual whispers labelled ‘a shadow influence, as powerful as that of the number one citizen inside the presidency’, Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of President Goodluck Jonathan to bail him out.

Informants maintain, the First Lady viewed as an intense force behind her husband’s re election bid appears willing to help.

Described as ‘not too comfortable’ with the Northern influences- she is labelled ‘a willing hand’ in curtailing perceived excesses from that region.

A believe Odimegwu and his camp are said to be passionately working out to get out of current logjam.