Southeast Leaders Demand Presidency In 2023

Stakeholders of the Southeast geo-political zone, including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Saturday, in Enugu, demanded that the Igbo nation be given the opportunity to produce the president of Nigeria in the 2023 general elections.

Rising from their meeting, the stakeholders further requested the creation of additional states in the region for the sake of equity and justice. They also pleaded for immediate construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of all federal roads in the zone.

Aside these, they demanded equitable representation of the Southeast in the security architecture among the five service chiefs, immigration and inspector general of police, as well as disarming killer herdsmen operating with AK-47s in the zone.

The stakeholders made these demands when the presidential delegation, led by the chief of staff to president, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, met with Southeast governors, members of the National Assembly from Southeast, federal ministers from the zone, among others, at the Government House, Enugu.

Presenting the communiqué after the meeting, Ebonyi State governor and chairman, Southeast Governors’ Forum, Engr David Umahi, said, “We request our president, the father of our nation, to please look into the demands of the various groups of our people, as presented today, review same with a view to solving them.”

The governors in attendance were Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State; Imo State governor Senator Hope Uzodinma, and the deputy governor of Anambra State, Dr Nkem Okeke.

Gov Umahi said, “Southeast people believe in one Nigeria, and this is the reason we are in every part of this country erecting infrastructure, living peacefully with our host communities and doing our businesses.

“We further request a joint operation into all our forests to flush out criminals and killer herdsmen with AK-47. We pledge to continue to protect all the various ethnic groups living in the Southeast. We enjoin them to go about their businesses peacefully. We thank Mr President, governors and traditional rulers in other parts of Nigeria for their commitment to protecting our people, especially during and after the protests. We must continue to live in peace.”

While appreciating President Buhari for sending the powerful delegation, comprising his chief of staff, the inspector general of police, director general, Department of State Services; minister of information and ministers from the Southeast zone, to visit and hear from the people of the zone, the Igbo leaders maintained that they ‘stand for an indivisible and united Nigeria, built on love, fairness, equity and justice’.

According to Umahi, “We believe that under this platform, we are bigger and stronger. We thank President Buhari for all the great works he is doing at the Second Niger Bridge, the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, dualized road of Enugu to Port Harcourt and some other projects in the South East.”

They also thanked the president for his commitment towards the struggle for the emergence of Prof Okonjo Iweala as the director general of the World Trade Organisation, saying: “We are particularly grateful with the way you have engaged the world leaders to see her through the process. May God crown your efforts with success.”

Gov Ugwuanyi, in an address, said the strategic dialogue between the presidential delegation and the expanded meeting of the Southeast stakeholders was historic as it presented an uncommon opportunity for deepening the common ideas between the zone and others, while setting the agenda and framework for a focused and continuous engagement on matters of common interest.

Present at the meeting were the senate minority leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; the House of Representatives’ deputy minority leader, Rt Hon Toby Okechukwu; Senator Sam Egwu, president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; leader of the Southeast Traditional Rulers’ delegation, the Obi of Onitsha, HRM Igwe Alfred Achebe; Southeast CAN chairman, Bishop Goddy Okafor; Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Amb Justina Eze, Chief Mrs Josephine Anenih, representatives of Igbo youths and students, among others.