By TONY EDIKE
ENUGU— POLITICAL leaders of the South East zone, yesterday, set up a 30-man committee to harmonize recommendations for constitutional amendment.
Leaders of the zone at the meeting held at Enugu governor's lodge include Governors Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Martin Elechi, (Ebonyi), Peter Obi (Anambra) and Theordore Oji (Abia).
Others were Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, Presidential Adviser, Ben Obi, former Information Minister, Walter Ofonagoro, former Health Minister, Dr Tim Menakaya, former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife,
former Director General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Prof. Elochukwu Amucheazu, Senators, House of Reps members, ministers, religious and traditional rulers.
Imo state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha was absent at the meeting.
Senator Uche Chukwumerije was unanimously appointed to head the committee which has been mandated to harmonize views of the zone ahead of the constitutional review.
Leader of the South East Governors Forum, Peter Obi, who was reluctant to speak on the outcome of the meeting, told newsmen that other issues discussed were security and economic development of the South East.
He said: "We discussed economic development of the zone as well as security of the South East. As you know, security and strategies are not supposed to be made public".
Also speaking on the parley, Senator Chris Ngige, said several issues including state creation, economic development, fiscal federalism among others were discussed, stressing that the committee was expected to go and harmonise the views of the zone.
"We need an additional state in the zone. At the last constitutional conference, it was agreed that for equity and fairness, the South East should be given additional state(s) to equal it with other zones of the country, which have seven and six states. We talked about the economic development of our region and we are continuing with further discussions on ways of ensuring that the zone moves on well economically", Ngige said.
Presidential Adviser, Ben Obi said the meeting was part of the effort by the political leaders of the zone to bring Ndigbo together to continue to discuss on the way forward for the zone.
He said, "it is a duty for us to come together. It is a duty for the political leadership to bring all of us together. The Igbo must come together and you can see that the governors have keep faith with this. So bringing us together will help us discuss matters of importance and interest for our people".
Obi added that the meeting would reconvene soon to rectify the recommendations of the 30-man committee for the constitutional review.
Vanguard Nigeria