Umahi visits Buhari, says South-east will not leave Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday received Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State who paid him a thank-you visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president had paid a two-day working visit to Ebonyi between May 5 and 6.

During the two-day visit, the president inaugurated some projects at the University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, 5km dual carriage Airport Road and the airport Presidential Lodge as well as new Government House, Centenary City and reconstructed St. Margaret Umahi International Market complex, Abakaliki.

Other inaugurated projects included the Aisha Buhari Wife of Governor’s Office Complex, Akanu Ibiam Lodge (the new Governor’s Lodge), Ebonyi House, Muhammadu Buhari Light Tunnel Flyover and Ebonyi Shopping Mall.

The president was also hosted to State Dinner by the Ebonyi State Government, on Thursday night.

The governor, who spoke to State House correspondents, said he was in the State House to deliver an appreciation letter to the president from the leaders of the South-east region, for his recent working visit to Ebonyi and by extension the South-east.

“I came to the Villa to see the President and give him a thank you letter from South-east leaders, which expresses their deep appreciation for the visit of the President on a two-day working visit to Ebonyi, by extension South-east.

“I thought it necessary to do that as quickly as possible, our people are deeply very happy with the President and very appreciative of all the rewards of that visit,” he said.

The governor stated that the president was very pleased with the letter and the kind of reception he received from the people and government of Ebonyi when he paid the visit to the state.

According to him, the state remains grateful to the federal government for taking over the management of the University of Medical Sciences constructed by the state government.
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On the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, the governor insisted on finding a political solution to the problem.

He dismissed the insinuation that the people of the South-east zone were no longer interested in the “Nigeria Project’’.

According to him, the people of the South-east are not in support of any form of agitation or plans to secede from Nigeria.

He said: “I had many months back met with the President, where we had very detailed and frank discussion on that particular matter. South-east people are tired and I have always said that we are not totally in support of agitation to secede from the Nigerian nation.

“We want to belong to the Nigerian nation and as the Chairman of the South-east Governors’ Forum, I have publicly said it, I have defended it, I don’t care about the attacks and those who have taken to the politics of that matter in our place.

“So, the president graciously granted my request for political solution but you see, when the president repeatedly said the matter is in court, we must appreciate his pedigree and integrity.

“He cannot just as a President say he is going to destroy the matter in court.

“But there is always room for dialogue and out of court settlement and that is what we are looking for.

“He has said, `your cultural leadership should be able to initiate that with Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer’

“But, this is over six months and we have been begging the President of Ohaneze to take up that responsibility.

“So, that is the position and we are waiting for the President of Ohaneze to kick-start this political dialogue.

“I met with the Attorney-General of the Federation, he is very well disposed to it,

“I have also met with the Director General of the Department of State Services and he is also disposed and the same with the Inspector General of Police – so the ball is in our hand.”