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We’ll secure 2007 for Ndigbo
-- South-East PDP
STATE
chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South East rose from a
crucial meeting in Abakaliki, Wednesday resolving to ensure that the zone
realizes her quest to produce Nigeria’s president in 2007.
The chairmen, who met under the aegis of
Forum of PDP State Chairmen, South East zone, also reviewed the planned visit of
the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to various states, and
resolved to continue to make formal presentations and appeal for a Nigerian
President of Igbo extraction to NEC during their visit to the zone.
The forum, in a communique read by Imo
State chairman Dr. Alex Obi commended the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization,
Ohanaeze and Ndigbo for pursuing the agitation for Igbo presidency
peacefully.
The chairmen also thanked the PDP NEC for
its initiative to visit the various states and agreed to draw up a zonal
participating plan to make the visit resounding in each state of the South East.
The forum appealed to the NEC to
reconsider its recent decisions as it relates to the suspension of the Abia
State party chairman Chief Uzodinma Okpara and its larger implications on the
"ebbing/sagging stability of the party in Abia and South East in general."
The chairmen who also paid a courtesy
visit to the acting Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Chigozie Ogbu, at Government
House, Abakaliki, where the spokesman of the group, Dr. Obi commended Governor
Sam Egwu for the laudable achievements in the state and for carrying the party
along in the success story.
He told the acting governor that they
formed the Forum as a common platform to discuss issues affecting the people of
the zone as they share common political identity.
He stressed that the Forum discussed the
issue of snail-speed progress in the execution of federal projects in the zone
and resolved to use every avenue to press for the reversal of the ugly trend.
Dr. Obi said the Forum resolved to reach
out to other state chairmen of the PDP in other states to lobby for their
support for the presidency project, stressing that Ndigbo have the men
and the means to produce the President in 2007.
In his remarks, Dr. Ogbu commended the
forum for its initiative to meet regularly to discuss issues of common interest,
saying it is a welcome development.
He described the meeting and the call for
reversal of anomalies concerning execution of federal projects in the zone as
timely, adding that now is the time to make the necessary corrections as
preparations for next year’s budget is on-going.
Dr. Ogbu said the agitation for a Nigerian
presidency of Igbo stock was in order and fitting because other major ethnic
zones have taken their turn in producing the president for the country.
He said Ebonyi State is fully in support
of the agitation for what is right for the Igbo, though within the guiding
principles of the PDP.
Chairmen of PDP in Ebonyi, Enugu and
Anambra States, Chief Joe Obinna Ogba, Onyiaoha Nwanjoku and Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye,
respectively, attended the meeting while Abia State chairman, Chief Okpara was
represented.
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