Former Minister of External Affairs, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, was yesterday appointed as the leader of delegates of the South-east geo-political zone to the National Conference billed to be inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday next week.
Briefing journalist at the end of a four-hour closed door meeting of the South-east governors and delegates to the conference from the zone, the Chairman of South-east Governors’ Forum and Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, said Prof. Monsignor Obiora Ike and former Nigeria’s Ambassador to United States, Prof. George Obiozor were appointed as deputy chairman and secretary respectively.
THISDAY checks revealed that a renowned constitutional lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, and former Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, had initially declined pressures to lead delegates to the conference from the zone.
Orji, who presided his first meeting as chairman of the forum, said each of the five states of Abia, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and Enugu also appointed state leaders.
According to him, while a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, will lead Enugu delegates, former Governor of Ebonyi State, Sam Egwu, emerged as the leader of Ebonyi State delegates.
Former President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, emerged as leader of Anambra State delegates while Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu and Ike Nwachukwu will lead Imo and Abia States delegates respectively.
He also said the governors’ forum approved the establishment of a secretariat for South-east delegates throughout the duration of the conference in Abuja, while each of the states is expected to appoint two secretarial staff.
He urged the delegates to ensure that the zone had effective representation at the conference.
The meeting attracted the presence of Governors of Ebonyi, Martin Elechi, Enugu, Sullivan Chime, Deputy Governors of Imo and Anambra State, Mr. Eze Madumere and Emeka Sibeudu respectively, as well as delegates to the conference from the zone.
