South-east governors plan to have a meeting with IPOB

South-east governors plan to have a meeting with IPOB to discuss the issues that they have in the region and try to address those issues. The decision was taken on Saturday, June 19, 2021.

The governors of Nigeria’s South-eastern part of Nigeria may be preparing to have a meeting with IPOB,  based on the positions adopted by the governors and other leaders of the region during their Saturday’s meeting in Enugu.

IPOB is a pro-Biafra group which has been outlawed by the Nigerian government.

In a statement  by the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State told reporters that the leaders from the region had set up a committee to engage the “agitators” in the region to address their fears.

It is still uncertain if Mr Umahi specifically mentioned IPOB by name when he spoke to the reporters.

But the governor may have definitely referred to the group when he said “agitators”, as IPOB is the major group agitating for the independent state of Biafra, at the moment.

This development sends signals  of  a departure from the previous strict stand against IPOB and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Though Mr Umahi said secessionist groups from the region were not speaking for the people of the area, he made some remarks that looked like the kind of thing IPOB and their supporters would love to hear.

For instance, the governor said that governors and other leaders of the region were strongly against the extrajudicial killings of civilians in the region by security agencies.

He further stated that although the South-east remains devoted to ensuring Nigeria’s corporate existence,  The  union must be centred on love, mutual respect, and equality of rights, despite one’s religion, ethnic group, political affiliation and persuasion.

The governor stated that leaders from the region had identified with concern the threats against the Igbo people by some groups in other regions.

“The meeting pleaded with leaders of other regions to note such threats to our people, address it and protect our people,” he said.

Those who were at attendance for the Saturday’s meeting included Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.

Deputy governors, Nkem Okeke and Placid Njoku represented Anambra and Imo State.

Others who were at the meeting include: the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe; Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige; Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, and President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, George Obiozo.

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