Concerned Igbo Leaders promise active participation in Confab

By The Citizen

The Concerned Igbo Leaders of Thought in Enugu have promised active participation at the proposed National Conference with a view to addressing issues of interest in the country.

The group was reacting to the modalities mapped out by the Federal Government for the conference on Friday at the end of their meeting.

Briefing newsmen, the Leader of the group, Prof. Elochukwu Amucheazi, said that although the modalities of the conference did not represent their views, they would support appointed representatives from the group.

He disclosed that the group would also present their documented views to the people chosen to represent the ethnic group at the conference.

“The modalities of the conference released by the federal government is quite different from what we envisaged and what we submitted to Mr President but however, that is what the government wants.

“We will produce our own version of what the conference ought to be and we will be part of whatever the government is doing.

“If the President gets things right at the conference, he might be regarded as the father of modern Nigeria and we pray he will succeed in doing that,'' he said.

Also speaking, one of the leaders, Prince Emeka Onyesoh, called on the President to appoint credible people to participate at the conference.

“We are elders and leaders of thought. This does not meet the standard that we have set the conference to be, but we will encourage people to go and give them ideas on what to do,'' Onyesoh said.

The meeting was attended by Prof. Ben Nwabueze, wife of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Prof. Uche Azikiwe, former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Prof. Ginigeme Mbanefo and other Igbo leaders.

The group is made up of eminent Igbo, traditional and religious leaders, human rights activists, academia as well as politicians from the South East Zone.