By Fred Chukwuelobe
Governors of the South of Nigeria met in Enugu, the Coal City, recently not in search of coal, but to find a path way to the things that ail us: VAT, open grazing, murderous herdsmen, insecurity, banditry, 2023, etc.
Similar meetings are regularly held by governors of the North and is ususlly attended most of the time by virtually all the governors, including those from the middle belt whose people are gradually being reduced in numbers by on-going blood letting in parts of the North.
However, apart from the host governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governors of the four other sit-at-home States of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo, were absent or sent representatives. For a meeting as crucial as this, what would have prevented Okezie Ikpeazu, Willie Obiano, Dave Umahi, and Hope Uzodinma from attending? What is more important today than VAT, open grazing, 2023, insecurity, murderous herdsmen? Why did they stay away?
Meanwhile, governors of the South West, including Jide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, etc, and those of the South South attended. They flew to Enugu and those who should drive to Enugu decided to observe sit-at-home instead.
Let me reserve my comments until I know why these four stayed away. Maybe they were observing sit-at-home in solidarity with IPOB and MNK.
Maybe.
“The governors present are Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, Babajide Sanwol-Olu of Lagos and Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.
Others are Governors Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun.
The deputy governors in attendance are; Mr Bisi Egbeyemi of Ekiti, Mr Rauf Olaniyan of Oyo, Dr Kelechi Igwe of Ebonyi, Chief Ude Oko-Chukwu of Abia, Mr Philip Shuaibu of Edo, Prof. Ivara Esu of Cross River and Prof. Placid Njoku of Imo.
Meanwhile, Anambra was not represented in the meeting.
The meeting had previously held in Asaba in Delta and Lagos.”
Picture below was taken at the end of the Lagos meeting.