Governors of the South-East zone Sunday in Enugu rose from a meeting in Enugu and reaffirmed their commitment to improving on the security of the area in view of the recent interception of suspected members of the Boko Haram sect in Abia and Enugu states.
Accordingly, the forum has received quotation from a vendor of international repute for supply of security equipment.
The Chairman of the Forum and Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji who briefed journalists at the end of their meeting in Enugu, gave the indication of massive purchase of security equipment to encourage law enforcement agencies in the zone.
Orji also commended delegates at the National Conference for their recommendation that an additional state be created for the zone to bring the number of states in the area at par with other geo-political zones of the country.
In a press statement issued in Umuahia on Sunday, saluted the courage of the delegates for adopting the recommendation.
Orji added, “This is a major step towards ending decades of political injustice and marginalisation against Ndigbo.”
Similarly, the President of Igbo World Union, Dr. Mishak Nnanta, told one of our correspondents in an interview that the recommendation for the equality state as well as more new states in the country was a major step by the confab to take Nigeria out of the woods.
He also commended the confab for recommending the creation of more new states from other zones, saying this would help correct the imbalance and lop-sidedness in previous state creation supervised by the military without any input by the people.
Orji added, “This bold step of the conference will also help to diffuse tension in the polity as well as fasttrack grassroots development. We also commend the leadership of the conference as well as the delegates for their maturity, patriotism and peaceful disposition in conducting the affairs of the confab.”
The governors, therefore, called on the National Assembly and other relevant stakeholders to support the recommendation, and to synergise on making the outcome of the confab a working document in the overall interest of the country.
The South-East governors also reiterated their faith in the conference and called on Nigerians to be united in adopting the final outcome of the exercise as a way to move the country forward.
They also expressed their unflinching support for President Goodluck Jonathan especially for his courage in organising the conference despite initial resistance by some elements, saying that the recommendations of the confab so far on key contentious issues in the country had vindicated the President’s action.
The South-East governors expressed the hope that the conference would sustain the current spirit of patriotism and maturity.