Restructuring: Govs inaugurates South-East, South-South forum, appoint Udom as chairman

In what appears to be a prelude towards calls for the restructuring of the country, Governors of the South- East and the South-South have met to for a new forum for the purpose of inter-regional cooperation and integration of the two regions.

The forum at its inaugural meeting at Nike Lake Resort Hotel, Enugu on Sunday appointed Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom state as interim chairman.

Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting, Governor Udom said that the two regions had resolved to politically work together to realign as a people that share same culture and affinity.

“Having reviewed the state of the nation particularly as it affects us in the South South and South East regions, we have agreed to pursue inter-regional cooperation.

“This will be for integration and for the economic benefit of the two regions.

“We also have resolved to politically work together and realign as a people that shared common heritage, culture and affinity,” he said.

Udom said that he was unanimously chosen as the interim chairman by his brother governors, adding that their next meeting would hold in Port Harcourt on August 27.

In his welcome address‎, the host Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State called for cooperation between Governors of South-East and South-South States to realize their common goals and aspirations.

According to Ugwuanyi, the essence of the meeting was to strengthen the relationship between the two zones to enable them meet their socio-economic and political developmental challenges, especially with the various agitations in the country.

Citing the deplorable state of federal roads in the two zones, such as East-West road in the South-South and Enugu-Onitsha and Enugu Port Harcourt expressways in the South-East, Ugwuanyi regretted that the two zones still suffer infrastructure decay.

He equally noted with regrets that there are no connecting flights between the two regions, a development that has hampered the socio-economic integration and development of the two regions.

Governor Ugwuanyi recalled that the South-East Governors and Igbo political leaders at a meeting about a week ago, declared support for a united Nigeria where peace, love, fairness, justice, equity and equality of opportunity are paramount regardless of creed, ethnicity, gender or political affiliation, adding that the meeting condemned all hate speeches and conduct emanating from any section of the country.

He said the Igbo political leaders lend their full support to the restructuring of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the basis of fairness and equity and called on the Federal Government and all Nigerian leaders to commence a process of dialogue among Nigerians on the modalities of achieving this pressing question within a reasonable time.

Governors present included Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo, Bayelsa, Enugu but Anambra state was represented by his Deputy Governor, while Governors of Edo and Delta states were conspicuously absent.