Saturday met in Owerri, the Imo State capital and said the region is now
more united than ever to work in the interest of the region and with the
federal government.
The APC South-East leaders also said that the claim of marginalization
of Ndigbo is mere speculation and the figment of the imagination of
those who are not well informed.
The delegation was led by former President of the Senate, Chief Ken
Nnamani and included Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya
Onu, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyema, Minister of State, Mines and Steel
Development, Dr Uche Ogah, Minister of State, Education, Dr. Emeka
Nwajiuba, and Sir Frank Ibezim.
Those who were not at the meeting were excused.
Addressing the media at the end of their brief closed-door meeting,
Nnamani who is currently representing the South East in the National
Caretaker Committee of APC, said they came on a solidarity visit to the
Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who is currently the only
governor the APC has in the South East now.
Nnamani said they did not only come to wish Governor Uzodimma well but
to tell him they are impressed with what they saw on the ground,
“believing strongly that there is a lot of hope in the person Hope as
the Governor of Imo State.”
The former President of the Senate enjoined the media to do well to
report positively and shun the character of being negative in most
cases, reassuring the people of Imo State, South East and APC that
currently, “South East is witnessing new dawn with the high performance
of her leaders.”
Corroborating the reason for the visit, Governor Uzodimma added that the
APC government in Imo State is the gate-way to integrate Ndigbo into the
National political and socio-economic grid as well as the policy
framework of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Governor Uzodimma said that the APC Igbo leaders in the South East are
properly equipped to direct and guide the Igbo to ensure that whatsoever
is due to them from the Federal Republic of Nigeria will get to them.
The Governor said the leaders from the South East are on a wider
consultation to ensure that the South East embraces and integrates into
what is coming from the Federal Government through proper alignment with
its policies and programmes for the greater benefit of the people.
Responding to questions on the chances of the Igbo occupying the office
of the Nigerian President in 2023, Governor Uzodimma emphasized that
what should bother the Igbo is “Nigerian President of Igbo extraction”
and not Igbo President of Nigeria.
He said: “South East is part of Nigeria, South East leaders exhibit all
qualities and capabilities for good governance and as such believe that
APC as the ruling party in Nigeria will make the right decision at the
appropriate time.”
Speaking on behalf of the South-East Ministers who attended the meeting,
Dr Ngige said they are at the Federal Executive Council on effective
representation, “getting what is a due share for the South East.”
He enumerated projects, both completed and ongoing, which the South East
has benefitted from the APC-led government at the centre to include: the
credit empowerment Scheme, the N-power project, Home School Feeding
programme, East Coast Rail project running from
Lagos-Benin-Onitsha-Nnewi to Owerri.
Dr Ngige also said that South East is equally benefitting from the Sukuk
Project which has resulted in the reconstruction of Enugu-Port Harcourt
and Enugu-Onitsha express road.
He assured: “As long as we are there, the South East and the Igbos, in
general, will never lose any of their rights.”
Other important persons who were in attendance at the meeting include
the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prof. Placid Njoku, the Chairman of
APC Imo State, Chief Marcellenus Nlemigbo and APC apex leader in the
South East, Chief Tony Chukwu.