“South-Eastern Nigeria does not support secession”- Ebonyi Governor

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi said the people of the South-East are not in support of any form of agitation or plans to secede from Nigeria. 

The Governor remarked Abuja on Tuesday while speaking to State House Correspondents after he paid a thank-you visit to President Muhammadu Buhari for his recent visit to the State.

He said the President is disposed to a political solution to the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), but the President General of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo needs to kick start the process.

He said: “I had many months back met with the President, where we had a very detailed and frank discussion on that particular matter. South-East people are tired and I have always said that we are not totally in support of agitation to secede from the Nigerian nation.

“We want to belong to the Nigerian nation and as the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum, I have publicly said it, I have defended it, I don’t care about the attacks and those who have taken to the politics of that matter in our place.

“So, the President graciously granted my request for a political solution but you see, when the President repeatedly said the matter is in court, we must appreciate his pedigree and integrity. He cannot just say as a President say he is going to destroy the matter in court. But there is always room for dialogue and out-of-court settlement and that is what we are looking for. 

“He has said your cultural leadership should be able to initiate that with Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer but this is over six months and we have been begging the President of Ohaneze to take up that responsibility. So that is the position and we are waiting for the President of Ohaneze to kick-start this political dialogue. I have met with the Attorney General of the Federation, and he is very well disposed to it, I have also met with the Director-General of the State Security Services and he is also disposed of the same with the Inspector General of Police so the ball is in our hand.”

The Governor said he was in the State House to deliver an appreciation letter from the leaders of the South-East region, for his recent working visit to Ebonyi and by extension the South-East.

“I came to the Villa to see the President and give him a thank you letter from South-East leaders, which expresses their deep appreciation for the visit of the President on a two-day working visit to Ebonyi State, by extension South-East.

“I thought it necessary to do that as quickly as possible, our people are deeply very happy with the President and very appreciative of all the rewards of that visit,” he said.

Governor Umahi said President Buhari was very pleased with the letter and the kind of reception he received from the people and government of Ebonyi when he paid the visit to the State. 

The Governor said the State remains grateful to the Nigerian government for taking over the management of the University of Medical Sciences constructed by the State government. 

Dominica Nwabufo