LAST weekend's meeting of South East governors ended in Enugu on a familiar note. The governors restated their call on the Federal Government to create two additional states in the zone in the spirit of true federalism.For the governors, whose meeting was the shortest in the history of the group, having lasted for only 30 minutes, the imbalance in the federation was responsible for the problems and marginalisation of people of the zone.They insisted that the National Assembly should as a matter of urgency tinker with the constitution, to make room for the creation of states, stressing that it was unfair that the South East remained the zone with less number of states in the country.The chairman of the governor's forum and Anambra State governor, Peter Obi told journalists after the meeting that, ' we discussed only one agenda and that is state creation. We believe that there is need to create additional states in the South East to put it at par with other zones of the federation, because there is no way you can talk about balancing the federation without addressing this issue.'Obi said that the National Assembly should lead in the process by ensuring that the constitutional amendment makes room to ensure that states were created in the shortest possible time.The development from the governors meeting again has raised the question of unity of purpose in the pursuit of a common agenda by the South East zone, in view of the discordant tunes that had greeted such issues in the past.It is a known fact that Ndigbo had always wanted additional states in the zone to enable it be at par with other zonesBut the fear being entertained at present is to the real motives of the governors in placing such a call regarded as 'over flogged' and devoting an entire meeting session for it when indeed there are so many disturbing issues threatening the unity and progress of the geo-political zone, which till date has not received the attention of the meeting.Such issues include the challenge posed to the zone by the implementation of the minimum wage, which has almost rendered governance ineffective in the five states of the zone as leaders of the workers union have called out their members on strike.At present, Abia State government is reacting to the issue by putting up non-natives of the state for sack or redeployment to their various states, thus raising the question on how Igbo unity could be preserved under such circumstances when natives of South east geo-political zone are declared non-indigenes in their zone. Also of urgent attention is the collapse of federal infrastructure especially roads scattered in the five states of the zone that have made movement difficult for the people, claimed several lives as well as affected the economic development of the zone.Insecurity, which dropped late last year and early this year, has suddenly resonated with the spate of killings and kidnappings in the five states of the zone. In Enugu State, for instance, residents now live in fear as kidnappers are back on the streets, taking people captive even in broad daylight.There is general unemployment in the five states with the non-functionality of industries in the zone. These among several others have failed to receive the attention of the governors.The issue of state creation in the South East in the past had always been contested by the various states and political leaders as to where it could be located and the components that could make up the proposed state. There has never been an agreement on this.It is being perceived that disunity of purpose, insincerity on the part of the leaders and internal bickering among the political leaders has often times robbed the zone of things that could better it politically and economically including the proposed state.Perhaps, as an effort to nip this in the bud during the last Igbo day held in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, the apex Igbo socio cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which agreed that although it was germane that an additional state be created in the South East, emphasised the need for unity.The President General of the Ohanaeze, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue had said, 'the way forward for the South East, which is currently allotted the least number of states among the six zones, not out of choice by the predominantly Igbo indigenes of the region, but by blatantly, if not spitefully, discriminatory imposition by former non-representative military rulers of our country, first, is to use this golden opportunity to ensure the entrenchment, among other nationally important affirmative terms, of the reality and equality of the six-geopolitical zones.'Secondly, in fraternal collaboration with people of goodwill and believers in true federalism from other zones, Ndigbo, must begin now to work collectively with one mind and one voice to secure absolute equality of the six geo political zones, starting with the creation of new states to bring the number of states in the zone to the same level.'He stated that Ohanaeze Ndigbo was putting great emphasis on uniting and guiding Ndigbo towards a common political and economic agenda, stressing that no zone progress with the level of disenchantment that abound in the South East.Although he observed that there was beginning to be an 'increasing display of unity by South East governors and other well-meaning Igbo sons and daughters in pursuit of a common political and economic agenda,' he noted that such must continue to exist for the overall good of the zone.Ebonyi State Governor Martin Elechi, who at the event also endorsed the creation of additional state in the South East cautioned Ndigbo not to fritter the opportunity with cacophony of voices expressed in a multiplicity of demands and agitations and to consider two factors including cultural homogeneity and affinity of the area where new states should be carved out.Speaking recently during the South East Economic Summit held in Enugu, former Senate President Ken Nnamani identified greed, selfishness and ostentatious acquisition of wealth as some of the problems militating against the growth and development of South East, explaining that the leaders of the zone had always pursued an 'agenda very different from the one that could impact on the people'Nnamani said that inability to pay priority attention to issues that have direct bearing on the people and take firm stand on issues of national importance was the bane of the development of Igbo land. According to him the leadership of the zone should learn to speak with one voice.He said, 'we have made ourselves laughing stock to the rest of the nation by cheapening ourselves with the kind of decisions and things we undertake to do. Our leaders should learn how to take positions on issues and think more about the concern of the generality of Ndigbo than personal issues to enable us move forward. There is no way we can move forward when we say one thing to the people and do another one'Nnamani identified various agitations for political appointment in Igbo land to have shifted the core values, which the zone should expend much of her energy, explaining that efforts should be made to aggregate the feelings of the people and chart a path towards their realisation.'Ndigbo have never lagged behind. They are known to have always been in the forefront. These are only some of the positive attributes by which Ndigbo are categorised and held in high esteem. We cannot set out to pursue things singing different tunes; people will mock us, the world will laugh at us. Our attitude should be such that as we clamour for new constitution, as we clamor for amendments there in, we should have a position which should reflect the mind of our people and not the views of few individuals who want to make their feelings know,' he said.Speaking to The Guardian in Enugu, former Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Prof. Elochukwu Amucheazi, agreed that there was urgent need for constitutional review to make room for additional state in the South East zone. He however, charged the leaders to ensure that agreement was reached as to where the state could be located to reduce the contention that was the case each time things of such nature was mentioned.He said that time had come when the governors of the zone begin to react positively to the issues affecting the people in such a manner that the Federal Government would look into the issue, stressing that so many issues affecting the zone required urgent attention.The Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nduka Eya, told The Guardian that he has always supported state creation for Ndigbo as well as its endorsement by the governors, stressing however, that he was pained by the fact that the governors have little or nothing to show for all the meetings held so far under the forum aimed at developing Igboland.'They have always supported creation of state, but could not say where they want the new state to be. This means leaving room for contentions and agitations from the people when that idea comes to full glare. I think they should know what that means and pursue it to a logical end,' he said.Examining the interventions of the governors, a social critic, Emma Ezeazu, said he has never regarded them as a group with a clear focus. He noted that it was sad that the sorry state of the South East has never bordered the governors.Challenging them to tell the people want the forum has achieved since its inception few years ago, he said that it was no longer news that they could call for the creation of additional states in Igboland.'My worry is that their forum lacks potency. I want to think that what they come together to do is how to perpetuate misgovernance, otherwise, I do not know how to reconcile the fact that when all the states in the zone are on strike over minimum wage, our governors are meeting to ask for more states. Nobody is bordered that the people that voted them into power are complaining; it is like they have conquered the people. But although I believe that state creation is good, it should not dominate the political space at the moment. Something should be done about the parlous state of infrastructure in the South East zone,' he said.
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