Shameless Governors of the South-east zone, who plunder the resources of the zone rather than develop it thus giving rise for all sorts of youth restiveness in the area rose from an emergency meeting in Enugu yesterday and proscribed all activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the region. They also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw the military that have been abusing fundamental human rights of people from the zone.
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) contrary to the empty promise by the Abia State Governor that the military would withdraw from the South-esat ignored the governor and formally declared IPOB a terrorist organization. But in what appeared like a more strategic approach from a man of wisdom, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to dialogue with IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Recall that a certain Asari Dokubo and Ijaw youths attempted to destabilise Obasanjo’s government through the same approach of Kanu and his IPOB followers but Obasanjo met with the restive Dokubo and the rest is history because Dokubo and his agenda were relegated and today nobody remembers him any longer.
In an eleven-point communique issued at the end of the meeting in which they reviewed the prevailing security situation in the zone and its attendant consequences, the governors insisted that they would no longer tolerate the separatist group. They asked IPOB and all other aggrieved groups to articulate their position on all national issues and submit to the Committee of Governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and National Assembly members from the zone through the chairman of the South-east Governors’ Forum, David Umahi of Ebonyi State.
In the Communique which was read by Umahi, the governors also noted that the entire zone including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and National Assembly members reinforced their commitment to a united and indivisible Nigeria. He said, “All governors of the south east zone are to ensure compliance in their respective states,” Umahi said. They insisted that police be allowed to perform their traditional role of maintaining law and order. The governors also reinforced their desire for the restructuring of Nigeria where all national issues will be discussed and amicably settled to achieve justice and fairness to every Nigerian.”
Those who attended the meeting were Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Willie Obiano (Anambra), Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state and chairman of the forum, and Prince Eze Madumere, Deputy Governor of Imo State. Others include the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo; former Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State and Vice President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof Chigozie Ogbu and Prof Joy Ezeilo representing the Human Rights Community.
