By Ikechukwu Iweajunwa
Owerri – Governors from the South East and South-South Zones on Monday rejected calls for the breakup of the country while rallying support for its continued existence as an indivisible entity.
The governors made their position known in a communiqué issued at the end of an extensive meeting of the South-East/South-South Governors Forum in Owerri.
They reiterated that a divided nation would not be acceptable to the people of the two zones and re-echoed the need for the country to remain united.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that eight governors and one deputy governor attended the meeting.
The communiqué was signed by Chairman of the forum and governor of Akwa Ibom, Mr Udom Emmanuel.
The forum commended the role played by stakeholders and patriots in instituting broad-based negotiations between the North and the South-East, saying this led to the setting aside of a quit notice issued to the Igbo by some groups.
It, however, expressed worry over what it considered lack of significant federal presence in the region and called for more attention to be paid to the infrastructural needs of the affected states.
The forum also resolved that the regions would unite in a way that would be beneficial to the political future of the people of the region.
It said that the bond between the South-East and South-South zones was much more than political party considerations.
The forum also commended the efforts of security agencies in the regions, saying these had brought peace and stability.
It commended the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, for organising security summit in different zones and expressed optimism that the outcome would lead to better policing in the country.
Governors, who attended the meeting apart from Emmanuel, were Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Nyesom Wike (Rivers) and Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta).
Others were Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu ), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ben Ayade (Cross River) while Anambra was represented by its deputy governor, Dr Nkem Okeke. (NAN)
