Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has tasked the former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to help end the marginalization of the South East, if he emerges president in 2023.
Ikpeazu, who met the presidential candidate at his Abuja palatial residence, congratulated him on behalf of himself and the PDP family in Abia State, reaffirmed his commitment and the PDP in the state to the strengthening of the party towards delivering the candidates of the party in the 2023 elections.
Ikpeazu’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka, quoted the Governor lamenting that the South East zone is marginalized in the governance by the federal government including the exclusion of people from the zone in the security hierarchy of the country and urged Atiku to address the situation if elected.
He stated that the people of the South East feel alienated from the scheme of things in the country as nobody from the zone can be found in the top hierarchy of the federal government.
He said; “People from the South East feel alienated from the scheme of things currently in the country with no south easterner in the top echelon of both the executive, legislative and judicial arms of the federal government. This unprecedented state of affairs also persists in the entire Security architecture of the country including the Para Military agencies with no single South Easterner heading any of these agencies for the first time in the history of the country.”
The Governor also urged Atiku to consider facilitating the ease of doing business in the country as it is the most important thing for the people of the South East zone.
“As natural business people, entrepreneurs and small scale manufacturers, the people of the South East are interested in policies that will allow them do and grow their businesses. Port reforms which will enable them clear their goods from the nation’s seaports very quickly, rehabilitation of federal highways, etc are at the heart of the people of the South East. Peace and Security of lives and property are crucial to the survival of the nation. The people of the South East want their investments and businesses to be safe and secure wherever they are.”
Atiku, in his response, assured the Governor that as a detribalized Nigerian with strong ties across the country, he will turn the nation’s diversities to unifying factors.
The presidential candidate further assured Ikpeazu that as a successful businessman, he understands the issues that encourage the growth of businesses and the key role played by a stable economic environment in the development of the national economy.
