Orji Kalu To Wade Into South-East Governors’ Forum Crisis

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Sunday, March 27th, 2016

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu

Former Governor of Abia state Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has promised to intervene in the crisis rocking the leadership of the South-East Governors’ Forum.

Kalu, in a statement on saturday issued by his Media Centre, and signed by Rubby Obinna had sued for peace in the forum.

It would be recalled that AFRICAN EXAMINER had recently exclusively reported the leadership crisis in the forum, which has torn it apart.

The ex-Abia governor declared that the Igbo nation does not need distraction in whatever guise at this point of Nigeria’s history, adding that what it needs now is to fight for a common good for the advancement of the nation’s democracy.

He wondered why nearly a year now, the governors’ forum has existed without a leader.

Kalu quoting John F. Kennedy’s address before the United Nations, September 25 1961, said, “Mankind must put an end to war –or war will put an end to mankind.”

He stressed that the South-East Governors’ Forum was supposed to be a bastion of peace standard.

The Abia state born politician, wondered why power tussle now reigns supreme in the body.

His words: “I may visit the forum if the internal crisis rocking the South-East Governors’ Forum persists.

“I may do that because the thoughts of the South-East Governors’ Forum invariably are the Igbo message to Nigeria.

“Our bond should be our treasure. I think the forum’s foundation was not where people should go to exhibit their profession.

“I think the forum was formed for practice: How to better the lots of people from the South-East zone and contribute to the Nigeria’s progress.

“A crisis in the South-East Governors’ forum is a crisis tragically projected for us Ndigbo to divide ourselves.

“We shall not allow the crisis in the forum in order not to pummel the principle of Ndigbo built on Biri ka mbiri. ‘Live and Let’s Live,” Kalu said.

Kalu added that Ndigbo do not need dichotomy at this time. He advised that the governors should mend their differences in order to make a better Igbo-land safe for diversity.

The crisis erupted as a result of the inability of the governors to reach a consensus over who leads them.