Ikpeazu calls for prosperous, unified Nigeria at South-East Economic Summit

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has said that the hope of a prosperous and unified Nigeria lies on mutual respect between its federating units in the country.
Speaking on Thursday during the South- East Security and Economic Summit in Enugu, Ikpeazu said it was time to respect the capacity of all federating units.
“The hope of this country lies on how we show respect to the federating units and we will do well when we recognise the capacity of all ethnic groups to contribute to nation building,” he said.
He also said that governments of the region needed to forge closer collaboration to address issues of governance that had kept the zone marginalised its progress impeded.
The governor said it was sad that politicians from the region had not understood the import of politics to socio-economic development of the people.
Ikpeazu called on politicians from the zone to forge closer ties with other ethnic nationalities in order to address issues of underdevelopment and exclusion that had bedevilled the zone.
“Though as a people we are pressed on all sides, but there is something we can do than to respond to the impulses on all sides,” he said.
The governor said that the people of the region were one and needed the unity more at the prevailing circumstances, irrespective of political delineation.
Also speaking, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State said that the whole of the region was faced with precarious situation which needed to be urgently addressed.
Ugwuanyi said that the near lack of federal presence exemplified by the deplorable condition of federal roads in the zone had impacted negatively on its economic development.
“The whole of the South-East is faced with erosion threat, state governments are financially handicapped and we solicit financial support to face our challenges,” he said.
Ugwuanyi called on the Federal Government to pay more attention to infrastructure development of the zone.
He, however, expressed the gratitude of the governors in the zone regarding the bailout funds and financial assistance from the Presidency.
In an address of welcome, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi expressed the hope that said that the summit would give birth to integration and improved love for one another in the zone.
The Ebonyi governor stressed the need for the people of the zone to address all issues such as boundary disputes impeding the development of the in the region.
He said that when the resolution of the issues would ensure closer harmony among the people.
Umahi said that politicians from the zone had for too long played politics of attrition, adding that it was time to close ranks in the interest of the people.
“We have been running individually but it is time to come together as this is the platform that will drive commerce in the zone,” Umahi said.
Contributing, the Deputy Governor of Anambra , Dr Nkem Okeke, said that governments in the region could not continue tgo depend on federal allocation to attend to their needs.
Okeke said that the zone needed to leverage on its abundant natural resources as well as the people’s enterprise to move it forward.
Former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice-President Dr Alex Ekwueme, and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu attended the occasion.
Maj.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd), Prof. Barth Nnaji, top government officials from the five South-East states, members of the state Houses of Assembly also made the list.
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State was, however, absent.
In his message, Obasanjo urged people of the South-East zone to shy away from the spirit of individualism and unite to achieve the political aspirations that had eluded them for the development of the region.
He said that the zone would not achieve much with continued individualism and lack of cohesion amongst them.
He said the people of the area seemed to have forgotten their spirit of enterprise and communal efforts, which stood them apart from other ethnic groups in the country.
He said the zone was unique and that it needed to use its uniqueness to its advantage to negotiate the actualisation of their aspirations.
“The South East is known for their spirit of enterprise and adventure and you have to utilize it for improved development and security.
“You must work together and not be divided. You must shy away from the spirit of individualism and must earn solidarity with your neighbours,” he said.
Obasanjo urged the state governments to leverage on the abundant natural resources in the zone to improve the lives of their people.
He said that the South East could be the food basket of the nation, adding that state governments needed to take the responsibility of engaging the youths to check restiveness.
“I don’t think I should be eulogized for facilitating this summit in the South East because I did the same thing when I visited Maiduguri because of the problem of Boko Haram,” Obasanjo said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the summit, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, had said that the event was non-partisan and a commitment to the economic and security well-being of the region.
Anyaoku, who is a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth said that the South East felt neglected as it was experiencing the worst economic challenge in the country.
“Although every other zone in the country is experiencing economic malaise but that of the South East is more grievous.
“There is a sense of neglect and non-inclusion in this zone by the Federal Government and that is why coordination among the state governments is very necessary,” he said.
He, therefore, appealed to the state governors and the organised private sector to devote greater attention to building bridges of unity in the zone.
Anyaoku said there would be no need for the Federal Government to periodically bailout state governments if the country was restructured with fewer federating units.
“The summit is also working for the advancement of the entire country. If the Nigerian federation is restructured with fewer units this country will achieve greater stability,” Anyaoku said.