S’East, S’South Govs Meet in Owerri as Okorocha Harps on Nation’s Unity

Governors from the South-east and South-south geopolitical zones have converged on Owerri, the Imo State capital, in continuation of their interregional integration initiatives.

The meeting, which is the third since their coming together, held at the Government House, Owerri as at the time of filing this story last night.

Apart from Governors Nyesom Wike of River State and Godwin Obaseki of Edo State who were yet to arrive as at press time, the other governors had arrived in good time.

They included the host governor, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Udom Emmanuel, (Akwa lbom), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa).

Others are Chief Willy Obiano (Anambra), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia.

Welcoming his guests, Okorocha said the meeting would discuss the peace, development, unity, understanding, progress and cooperation as they concern the two zones in particular and the nation at large.

“We are here for the common good of our dear nation, Nigeria and her teeming population. We are here for the good of all,” he said while expressing the hope that the meeting will come up with “opinions and ideas that will, to a large extent, help our states individually and collectively and also help our nation greatly.”

Okorocha added that the coming together of the governors of the two zones to deliberate on the way forward was enough to excite all men and women of goodwill, adding that it showed their resolve to devote less time to partisan politics and talk about development and those things that unite them.

He, however, advocated a constitutional amendment to make it possible for governors to go to states other than theirs to serve for three months, saying by so doing, the unity of the country would be strengthened.

“I know that one day, in the course of the history of this nation, Nigerians will rise to such a height that the Igbos, Ijaws, Efiks, Hausas, Fulanis, Itshekiris, Idomas, and all, will be talking as one people, and the issue of where one comes from, won’t be a serious issue again,” he said.

The meeting is expected to end in the early hour of today.