It appears that the South-South and South-East governors have finally found their voices and the cord of brotherhood that were lost after the civil war. Once again, they have decided to come together to take their destinies into their own hands.
Politics has always divided the region with bitter inter-ethnic rivalry that has ruined any move for economic integration. It is not the first time attempts had been made to close ranks for the good of the people of the two regions, but it has always caved in. Analyst express pessimism of the likelihood of the success of the new collaboration, particularly, as it is not clear if any measures have been put in place to stop the reasons for past failures from striking once again at the new platform, particularly when electioneering for 2019 resumes. This is therefore, a challenge to the governors.
However, the new romance has been applauded by many who say that it is long overdue, nevertheless, better late than never. It is however, expected that the coming together of the two zones would go a long way in strengthening brotherly ties and end the cold war that had existed between them since after the civil war.
So, in keeping to their words after their first meeting in July, governors from the South-South and South-East geo-political zones converged on Port Harcourt, Rivers State for the second meeting geared towards charting a better understanding and cooperation between both regions, as well as, infrastructural development.
The forum, which is made up of Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Udom Emmanuel (Cross Rivers), who is the Chairman of the forum; Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Rochas Okorocha (Imo) Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Ben Ayade (Cross Rivers), Willie Obiano (Anambra) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa State) seeks to deliberate on issues pertaining to regional, as well as, national interest.
Based on the purpose and importance of this forum, many have condemned a noticeable and dangerous in the two meetings held, where a number of state governors instead of being personally present, have sent their deputies as representatives. They are of the opinion that it is too early for such development to become the order of the day.
The governors after the meeting reaffirmed their support for the unity of the country, promising to continue supporting calls for the devolution of powers and resources to the states and establishment of state police.
Emmanuel Udom, chairman of the forum, at the end of the first meeting, had said the governors agreed to work together politically and realign the people to achieve common heritage, culture and affinities.
According to him, they “examined several issues, including security and other topical matters dominating national discourse at the moment.”
“Nigeria is a country we love; we will do all to maintain unity of the country. We will follow up on how to tackle decay in the regions. We touched on security issues and must do all possible to protect lives. We discussed economic issues and collaboration with other regions to make sure issues of national interest are promoted,” he said.
According to him, “they will reach out to other regions of the country with a view to form alliances and collaborations that will promote national interest.”
Last weekend, when the group met in Port Harcourt, the host governor, Nyesom Wike, said that the two regions would continue to be “worse off” without collaborating with other regions.
“As we go into the business of this meeting, let us be confident in the rightness of our course and clear in our considerations that we have been and would continue to be worse off without the will to exploit our political and economic complementarities to drive our ways into political, economic and social prosperity.
“Above all, we must continue to demand for the devolution of powers and resources to the states as well as the institutionalisation of state police, now that there is national consensus on these issues,” he said.
According to Wike, “From geo-strategic economic perspective therefore, there is an urgent need to establish and link our cities with railways and super highways; to provide viable and affordable flight services between our cities, and to ensure that cargoes are brought into the country and the regions through our seaports, jetties and ferry services as a veritable means of stimulating economic growth and social progress across our two regions.”
Meanwhile Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the initial meeting spoke about the eastern railway corridor which was excluded from the national railway network to be constructed with a $5 billion loan from Chinese Exim Bank. He also stated that at the last meeting of the South East governors, they voted for a restructured but united country and hoped that this new forum will adopt the same position.
For him, the meeting was not only an epochal reunion but “home-coming for all of us” including Edo and Delta states which were in former Mid-Western region, stating that “This meeting will fundamentally help us to understand and set a common regional agenda. The essence of government is the welfare of the people…It is against this background that this meeting becomes not only providential but essential as both South-East and South-South cooperation will engender economic prosperity.”
Ugwuanyi further said: “Working together, we stand to gain our due share from the country. As at today, only 9percent of power generated is allocated to both South-East and South-South and tourism is under-developed.”
According to him, the Forum would deliberate on the welfare and security of the two regions, bearing in mind that criminals criss-cross the regions while carrying out their nefarious activities.
Citing the deplorable state of federal roads in the two zones, such as East-West Road in the South-South and Enugu-Onitsha and Enugu Port Harcourt expressways in the South-East, Ugwuanyi regretted that the two zones still suffer infrastructure decay.
He equally noted with regrets that there were no connecting flights between the two regions, a development that has hampered the socio-economic integration and the development of the two regions.
“We are meeting as brothers to talk about regional integration and find lasting solution to intermittent outbreak of inter-state clashes arising from boundary disputes among the two regions.
“We are also talking about economic survival of the two regions and look at possible ways of bringing our ingenuity and making use of our huge deposit of both human and natural resources to attain economically viable zones in Nigeria.”
The coming together of the two geo-political zones at a time there are deafening calls for the restructuring of the country appears apt.
The Enugu State governor noted that the Igbo political leaders lent their full support to the restructuring of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the basis of fairness and equity, calling on the Federal Government and all Nigerian leaders to commence a process of dialogue among Nigerians on the modalities to achieving answer to the question within a reasonable time.
He bemoaned the fact that there was no connecting flight from Port Harcourt or Cross River or any other place in the zone without first connecting Lagos. He also called for their support to persuade the Federal Government to include the South-East in the loan obtained from China Exim Bank for the development of eastern corridor, which he said stretches from South-East, South-South, North Central and North East.
Many political analysts have said for this union to work and achieve its purpose, it must be devoid of ills worked against such spirit of brotherhood in the past. Issues of political differences, favouritism, superiority complex, among others must be jettisoned.
Some political observers have also expressed the optimism that the coming together of these eleven states with the possibility of the South-West coming along with the middle belt would give birth to a formidable political bloc that would effectively checkmate their counterparts from North East and North West.
The forum has also been urged to use every available means and mechanism to address the prevalent issues that have held the two regions down these many years.
A pundit said: “Looking at some of the governors, many of them have not excited their people by their performances. The question remains, how then will they perform at this higher level of calling because as the holy book says, to whom much is given, much is expected.’ Truth be told, some of the governors are being seen as part of the problem of their zones, by their actions and inactions. The future will tell.
MABEL DIMMA
