A pro-democracy group, the South East Development Agenda has berated President Good luck Jonathan over his recent promise to construct the second Niger-Bridge; describing it as mere lip service to woo the zone to support his 2015 presidential bid.
SEDA which is a coalition of civil society and sociocultural organizations, comprising; Anioma Progressive Front, Imo solidarity Front, Save Abia Now, Coalition for Good Governance, South East Youth for Development & Good Governance (SEYGG) and South East professionals, said the construction of the second Niger has become an object of political campaigns for successive administrations.
This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the group’s meeting yesterday. Spokesmen for the group, Comrade Okonta Emeka Okelum, Godson Ibekwe-Umelo, Comrade Nnanna Nwafor, Comrade Ezekiel Okorie, Comrade Chuka. P. Okoye and Engr. Okebulu Nnadi Francis said the fate of the Southeast Zone attracts attention during political campaigns where politicians make all sorts of promises but usually forgets the zone as soon as they are elected.
It called on leaders of the zone to learn from the last general elections and consider the interest of the zone as the prevailing situation where presidential candidates are adopted without negotiating what the south east stand to benefit brought us to this sorry state.
“South East leaders must learn from the past, negotiate with candidates, and let us know what they have in stock for us before we give them our votes. We have been deceived over the years,” the group said.
On the proposed introduction of the five thousand naira note, the group chided the federal executive council for approving al of the proposal as such will further exacerbate the existing inflationary trend.
SEDA also stated that the move is at variance with the government’s much-touted cashless policy being championed by the same Central bank governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
The group commended the efforts of sister organizations working towards development of the southeast, such as IGBO RENAISSANCE GROUP,REAP 2015, C21 GROUP,SOUTH-SOUTH IBO YOUTH ALLIANCE and other progressive Pan Igbo group both at home and in diaspora for synergy towards realization of the Igbo Agenda.
