Sequel to the threat issued out to President Muhammadu Buhari, by the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, two days ago, to stay away from the maiden So
Sequel to the threat issued out to President Muhammadu Buhari, by the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB, two days ago, to stay away from the maiden South-East Economic and Security Summit in Enugu State, the president who was billed to be the chief guest of honour at the summit, decided not to honour the summit’s invitation. Not only was the president conspicuously absent, his ministers from South East who were also billed to make presentations at the event equally stayed away.
IPOB, whose leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is being held by the Federal Government, accused Buhari of persecution and threatened a breakdown of law and order should the President attend the summit. However, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Former Vice-President, Alex Ekwueme as well as the governors of Enugu State, the host state, Abia, Ebonyi and Anambra States, were all present at the inaugural summit.
Kicking off the series of talks, former president Olusegun Obasanjo who was a guest speaker at the ceremony, made a presentation he titled ‘Sustainable development: Zero hunger.’ In his speech, he expressed his wish to see the South-East become the food basket of the country if the various states collaborated to develop agriculture. He also canvassed cooperation among the governors in the region on other developmental issues.
According to him, “We have a challenge of youth unrest which is understandable because these are young people who have education without employment, and skills without production. So, you should expect some agitation from them. We cannot leave these children. We must take responsibility.”
The governors who made it to the summit urged the Federal Government to address the various challenges besetting the South-East, including the bad state of federal roads, the menace posed by herdsmen and the need to upgrade the runway and other infrastructure at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, did observe that his photograph and name as a speaker at the event wasn’t included in the summit brochure. It however didn’t deter him from speaking on the need to restructure the country, stressing that the current system of governance was not working.
Of the speakers, only former minister of power and Chairman of the Summit, Prof. Barth Nnaji and former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, drew attention to Buhari’s absence. Rounding off his address, Anyaoku called for the restructuring of the country to have less federating units. This way, according to him will help the country achieve greater stability and faster pace of development, as there will no longer be a need for the Federal Government to bailout many of the non-viable states.
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, was noticeably absent and didn’t have a representative.
