Ohanaeze Ndigbo, S-East govs, lawmakers to meet Tinubu in Aso Rock over Insecurity
Yesterday, Ohanaeze Ndigbo decided to send a team to President Bola Tinubu in an effort to stop the spread of insecurity in the region.
The Imo State governor Hope Uzodimma, the Ebonyi state governor Francis Nwifuru, the former governor of Anambra State Senator Chris Ngige, and the president general of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, were all in attendance.
Others include Senators Victor Umeh, Tony Nwoye, Sam Egwu, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Darlington Nwokocha, Dave Umahi, Prof. ABC Nwosu, Ambassador Kema Chikwe, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, and Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, as well as former Imo State Governor Mr. Ikedi Ohakim and former Senate President Pius Anyim.
Following an emergency meeting at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, the stakeholders made their choice.
The meeting’s host, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, declared that insecurity still posed the biggest problem to the region.
Hope Uzodinma said: “We have identified insecurity as the problem of South East for now and it is at the front burner and must be addressed.
“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.”
Governor alone can’t end insecurity in South East – Iwuanyanwu
For his part, South-East governors are collaborating with parliamentarians from the region to find long-term solutions to problems facing the people, according to Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Iwuanyanwu 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 South-East governors alone. We have resolved that the leadership of Ohanaeze, the governors and lawmakers to 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.”
In a chat with newsmen, the immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said; “The new President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and members of his cabinet came to meet with us, the governors, National Assembly members, former ministers and stakeholders in the South-East.
Ngige said: “In the main, we were discussing the issue of security of our region. They are security and the economy. It is the first maiden visit and we have taken some important resolutions.”
Nnamdi Kanu, Simon Ekpa, sit-at-home as subjects of discussion – Source
However, a source with access to the meeting told Platinum Times that topics such as the sit-at-home movement and the ongoing detention of IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and self-declared Biafra Prime Minister Simon Ekpa were discussed.
The source said that it was decided to send a delegation to President Tinubu seeking his assistance in the next two weeks.
The source said: “The meeting discussed about security in Southeast and everybody agreed that we will now be discussing without political party affiliation in mind and that there is government in place and the government in place should be recognised and supported.
“The issue of Nnamdi Kanu was discussed and it was agreed that we should draw up delegation that will go and see President Bola Tinubu on security situation in the Southeast including Nnamdi Kanu and Simon Ekpa within the next two weeks.”