Leaders of the southeast under the platform of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the governors in the region met on Monday night and resolved to seek an audience with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the state of insecurity in the zone.
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu led certain elders in the region to the meeting which was held at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro Abuja.
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinnma who incidentally is the Chairman of the South East Governors and Chairman Progressives Governors Forum was the host. Also in attendance was his Ebonyi State counterpart, Francis Nwifuru.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting that lasted for over four hours, Chief Iwuanyanwu who spoke on behalf of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo said the governors agreed to work together and have highlighted strategies to address the sit-at-home order instigated by the Independent People of Biafra ( IPOB) which he noted has paralysed economic and social activities in the southeast region.
He was silent on the strategies to be deployed.
He however maintained that insecurity was a national problem, not peculiar to the region and all hands must be on deck, beyond the zone to tackle it.
He said; “Frankly speaking, I am not going to give you the details of what we want to do. The problem of insecurity is one that cannot be solved by the Southeast governors alone. We have resolved that the leadership of Ohanaeze, the governors and lawmakers get in touch with the President.
“The problem in South East is too much, is too big for the governors alone. It is a Nigerian problem and the president will give support to the governors.”
Imo state governor who spoke in a similar vein noted that security is on the exclusive federal list that could not be handled by the five governors in the southeast alone.
He revealed that as Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, he would be leading his colleagues to the Presidential Villa to seek an audience with Tinubu to seek his cooperation so that peace could return to the region.
“The Federal Government in the past has supported us but we think that the federal government can do more. So among other resolutions, we resolved today to make a representation to the President for his intervention to be able to bring insecurity in the region to an end. So any moment from now, we’ll be putting together an arrangement to visit the president and discuss with him. There are certain things we cannot do very well without the federal government. Security is in the Exclusive List and only the federal government can deploy as appropriate.”
Asked by newsmen why three of his colleagues, governors of Enugu, Anambra and Abia states were not in attendance, Governor Uzodinnma said the meeting was impromptu but the gathering enjoyed the blessing of his colleagues.
He said: “That isn’t an issue, the decision to convene this meeting was impromptu. Don’t forget that I am the Chairman of South East Governors Forum and I represent all of them.”
Aside from the leadership of Ohanaeze and the two governors, serving Senators and House of Representatives from the region were in attendance.
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