Igbo Presidency: No Going Back, Say S/East Govs
From Charles Onyekamuo in Awka
Governors of states in the South-East geo-political zone of Nigeria rose from a conference in Awka, the Anambra State capital yesterday restating the conference's resolve for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction, come 2007.
Accordingly, the conference urged all Nigerians to support this project in the interest of equity, justice and fair play.
In a six point resolution endorsed by Governors Achike Udenwa (Imo and immediate past chairman of the conference, Dr Orji Uzo Kalu of Abia, Dr. Sam Egwu (Ebonyi) and new chairman of South East Governors conference as well as Dr Chris Ngige (Anambra) and read to newsmen at about 1.00am yesterday, they also expressed deep concern over the continued absence of police security for the Anambra State governor, the Governor's lodge and Government House in Awka. Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu was absent.
Consequently, the conference requested President Olusegun Obasanjo to use his good offices and prevail on the Inspector General of Police to restore the police security to the Anambra State seat of government.
Ngige's security details were withdrawn by Mr Tafa Balogun, the Inspector General of Police in partial fulfillment of an Enugu State High Court order of January 2, 2004 asking Balogun to remove the governor from office, alleging that he resigned as Governor of Anambra State on July 10, 2003.
The conference which began deliberations by 6.00pm Friday on issues that affect the people of South East geo-political zone in the context of one Nigeria drew the attention of the president to the socio-political and economic condition of the people of the zone particularly as it concerns roads and varied infrastructure saying they are largely in need of rehabilitation.
But it noted with the efforts of the Federal Government towards building a second Niger Bridge, which will include road/rail bridge and called on it (federal govt) to expedite action on the project on the project which it described as very important.
The conference specifically called on the Federal Govern-ment to provide its counter-part funding for the project in 2005 Federal budget and ensure that a technically competent and financially strong firm undertakes the project. The leadership of the conference now fell on Dr Sam Egwu, the Ebonyi state governor.
But the immediate past chairman of the conference, Imo's Achike Udenwa had explained concerning the zone's bid for the 2007 presidency that as many aspirations from the zone as possible can indicate their interest in the position and assured that they would be pruned down and screened with a view to getting a nominee who would be acceptable to the majority of Nigerians.
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