SOUTH EAST STAKEHOLDERS STRATEGIC MEETING OF
GOVERNORS, SOUTH EAST LEADERS, MINISTERS, NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS, TRADITIONAL RULERS AND THE CLERGY, HELD ON SATURDAY, 19TH JUNE, 2021, AT THE BANQUET HALL, LION BUILDING, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ENUGU
1. Arising from the meeting of 11, June, 2021, with the Presidential team led by Hon. Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (Rtd.), we agreed to a further meeting – consequent upon that, we scheduled a meeting today, for articulation of our positions and further meet with the Presidential team;
2. The meeting set up Committees under Ohaneze to articulate and address our positions on all burning issues to further meet among ourselves and thereafter meet with the Presidential team:
3. We, the Igbos do reaffirm our commitment to one united
Nigeria under a platform of justice, equality of rights, fairness, love and respect for one another;
4. We have noted threats by some groups against our people
of South East, while we firmly promise to protect everyone
either from other regions or ours, we plead with the leaders
of other regions to protect our people living in their regions;
5. We condemn the killing of security agencies, burning of
strategic infrastructure and killing of civilians in South East and other regions. We request our security agencies to please discharge their duties within the rules of engagement and the law;
6. We request our National Assembly from the South East to support State Police creation in the ongoing constitutional amendment;
7. We condemn in totality, the activities of violent secessionist
groups in South East and elsewhere, we firmly proclaim that
we do not support them, they do not speak for South East. The impression that South East leaders are silent over some of our youths agitators for secession is not correct. South East Governors, Ohaneze President, National Assembly members, notable leader had come out publicly many times
in the past to speak against such agitations. In order not to
mismanage the unfortunate situation, South East leaders
have set up a committee to engage such youths to stop and allow elders speak to address such fears;
8. Meeting directed our Governors and Ohaneze Ndigbo to liaise with indigenes from northern part of Nigeria and indigenes of other regions to assure that the nation Nigeria and their people of their safety in South East.
9. The meeting endorsed our South East joint security outfit – Ebubeagu and asked them to work with security agencies and to respect the rights and privileges of all those living in South East and our visitors.
At the meeting
Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu; Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia; Dave Umahi, Ebonyi; Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke; Imo State Deputy Governor, Prof. Placid Njoku; former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; former Governor of old Enugu State, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Egwu; former Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim; and former Military Administrator of old Anambra State, Rear Admiral Allison Madueke.
Others are the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige; Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Uchechukwu Ogah and President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador George Obiozor.
Also in attendance, Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Edward Ubosi; his Ebonyi State counterpart, Francis Nwifuru; the Deputy Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Toby Okechukwu; Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha and Metropolitan of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Valerian Maduka Okeke; Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Most. Rev. Dr. Emmanuel O. Chukwuma; Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga; immediate past President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council, HRH Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, among others
