Why I Didn't Attend South-East Security Summit' - Buhari

Real reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari did not attend the South-East Economic and Security Summit, which was held in Enugu yesterday, has been revealed. Daily Sun report.

According to reports, Buhari's absent at the meeting was not because of the threats by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), neither he stayed away following advice by some of the Igbo leaders.

Recall that the South East Summit, convened by former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, had in attendance South East leaders and other stakeholders.
Reports had it that President Buhari wanted to personally attend the summit, but changed his mind when top Igbo leaders expressed reservations that his coming to the zone was at the instance of former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

Competent sources revealed that a top Anglican bishop from Abia State, working with the convener of the summit,  had contacted Obasanjo and persuaded him to lend his words for President Buhari to attend the summit.

Contrary to the fact that Obasanjo was at the centre of invitation to President Buhari to attend a prime programme in South East, Igbo leaders were said to have protested to the Presidency, advising that Buhari should not visit the South East now.

Also, it was gathered that Igbo leaders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) advised President Buhari to rather schedule a visit to South East when the rehabilitation of federal roads in the zone is at its peak and also when he would flag off the continuation of the work at the second Niger Bridge.

In this regards, Presidency source said that President Buhari would visit the South East, on the invitation of the APC leaders from the zone in April or May 2017.  By then, it was gathered, major work would have been done on federal expressways, which APC leaders reckoned would engender Buhari more to Igbo than coming to a summit, where Obasanjo played a major role.
Having listened to the voice of reason, President Buhari heeded the advice not to attend the economic summit.

Meanwhile, at the South East Economic and Security Summit, Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, with other governors and major stakeholders in the zone restated the call for the Federal Government to complete the second Niger Bridge.

In his welcome address, Ugwuanyi had described the summit as a veritable platform to discuss the peace and economic growth of the South East geopolitical zone and the country in general.

He stated that security and economic development play vital roles in the upkeep of humanity, while explaining that the summit would afford the people ample opportunity to discuss the two vital elements that could make the zone  move forward.

He called on the Federal Government to rehabilitate federal infrastructure in Enugu State and other parts of the South East.

 Daily Sun