BENIN CITY— GOVERNORS of Edo and Delta States, Chiefs Lucky Igbinedion and James Ibori, yesterday handed leaders of the South-South region conditions for their support in the renewed agitation for a South-South president ahead 2007, insisting that though they were part of the zoning of presidency to the North, they could still make a U-turn if the agitations of the zone were genuine and sincere. However, former Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Mike Akhigbe, and National Deputy Chairman of the South-South Peoples’ Congress (SSOPEC), Chief Edwin Clark, took on critics of the position canvassed by the leaders of the Consultative Assembly, declaring that they would remain focused on the need for the region to be socially and politically liberated in 2007.
Govs Igbinedion and Ibori, who spoke in Benin yesterday during a call on the Edo State Governor by leaders of the South-South Consultative Assembly, agreed that though the renewed agitation by the leaders was in order, they might not get the support of the governors in the region if it was overtaken by personal interest.
Chief Igbinedion said the leaders of the region were not united in their quest for presidency, adding that if they harmonise their views, the governors would support their aspirations for a South-South presidency campaign in 2007.
He said: "Ordinarily, I would have stood up to say I agreed with him (Ibori) but I must also commend the forum. The agitation is appropriate but let me digress a little to commend the struggle of my friend, Chief Ibori. His travail at the court was due to this struggle. It has not weaken us but strengthened us the more in the zone. This zone belongs to us all.
"It is a minority zone but I must say it is a zone of critical minority. Critical in the sense that the most important thing that keeps us together in the country comes from this zone. It is not an individual thing, we should look at it holistically because at the end of the day, when you gather, you are stronger but when we are divided, we would be cheated. However, I must make one observation. It is one thing to start, it is also another thing to have a common goal. I can say clearly right now that all of you have no common goal. If you are, however, saying yes, you have a common goal and that you want our support, we will support you but with no secret agenda from any individual quarter.
"Let us sit down and be transparent. If we are fighting for the zone, let us fight for it genuinely. If it is the wish of God that this zone produces the next president, let us pursue it vigorously, not that when we want vice-presidency, we pursue the presidency," he said.
Governor Igbinedion said he was an advocate of the northern presidency over the years based on the gentleman agreement reached by leaders of the party in 1999 and the need for unity among the other regions," but if you say we should gun for the number two position, I am fully with you, but if you can convince me otherwise on the ways to achieve the presidency for the region, fine. We must sit down and plan this thing and have good representation."
Meanwhile, former Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Mike Akhigbe and SSOPEC leader, Chief Edwin Clark yesterday described the criticism of the agitations by the leaders of the region as misplaced as they were more resolute in the pursuit of the 2007 Presidency, the protection of the region against balkanisation and the on-shore off-shore dichotomy.
