South East Governors have opened up on the 2023 presidency cautioning the Federal Government to stop holding the region to ransome over support to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Chairman of South East Governors Forum, David Umahi of Ebonyi State spoke in apparent reaction to a comment credited to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
Mustapha while briefing State House correspondents, advised the region to support Buhari to return to power in order to fulfill his plan for the South east.
He also said the Igbos could achieve 2023 presidency if they give Buhari total support in 2019.
Umahi said the ongoing construction of the Second Niger Bridge among other projects clamoured by Igbos were their rights and not favours. The Governor spoke in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital on his return from Abuja.
According to him, Igbos are bonafide citizens of the country who deserve all inherent rights.
“The Igbos should not shy away from demanding for development of the zone by the Federal Government (FG) because the areas are predominantly occupied by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“We are not campaigning for anybody as the welfare, problems and future of the south-east zone are beyond politics,” he said.
He noted that any political party that “takes south-east zone seriously would in turn be taken seriously by the zone and the people will not beg to support anybody.
“Any candidate who wants our support should tell us what he will do for us and we will review it to know if it is the truth.
“The south-east governors visited the president because they are part of the entity called Nigeria just as the south-south governors visited him a fortnight ago.
“The south-south governors went to the president to discuss oil which is their area of comparative advantage.
“While we went to him to discuss the 2nd Niger bridge, the international airport in Enugu and delay in the construction of federal roads in the zone,” he said.
“We wouldn’t have gone to the president if he had not awarded and mobilised for the construction of the 2nd Niger bridge.
“We insisted that the release of N7 billion mobilisation was not enough but that 50 per cent of the funds be released to Julius Berger Plc, while the remaining 50 per cent should be in form of a bond to ensure the project’s completion.
“The release of the funds is a positive step and if the president has awarded such, it is fair that we say thank you to him.
“We also requested for the position of a Service Chief for the south-east zone because we have none and all our demands are not new, we have been seeking such for our people,” he said.
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