The South East Governors have come under severe criticism by the Human Right Liberty Access and Defender’s (HURIDE) for their failure to appreciate the father of human right in Nigeria and right activists Comrade Innocent Chukwuma
The right group in a statement made available to newsmen in Onitsha, the Anambra State commercial hub, condemned the shoddy treatment of top rights activist, Comrade Innocent Chukwuma, who recently died in Lagos.
The group in the statement signed by Dede Uzor A, Uzor, the Executive Director HURIDE said since the death of Chukwuma who hails from Imo State, no South East Governor, including the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who has even sent condolence message to the family and human right community in the country, not even to talk of visiting the family in Lagos.
They said : It is unfortunate that no Igbo elite except the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, who has visited the family”.
This, the group said, was at variance with the response of the Yoruba political elite over Yinka Odumakin, who thronged his home in droves starting with the vice-president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the South West Governors and other political and economic leaders apart from torrent condolences that poured in to the immediate family.
The South West Governors, said HURIDE, took it upon themselves to give Odumakin a befitting burial and immortalise him by naming a street after him in his town, Ife, Osun State.
“But for, Chukwuma, he was left as an orphan. That shows you the quality of political even economic class we have.
Leaders who only think of themselves and their immediate families” said HURIDE in the statement in Enugu state.
The group called on South East Governors especially Imo State Governor to give Chukwuma a befitting burial as well as immortalise him by naming a street in Owerri, Imo State capital after him.
They said it is not only Governors but National Assembly members, Ministers, political and business leaders who should show interest in the activities of icons from the zone especially during their travails.
“It is unfortunate that elites from the zone have no interest in other people except themselves and wealthy people.
They take for granted people who contribute to the development of the zone in particular and the country at large in other sectors.
And that is the tragedy of Igbo politics, highly monitised and elitist. That is why we hardly go far in national politics.
Our leaders have no direct touch with the grassroot” said HURIDE.
