Chairman, South East Governors Forum David Umahi has debunked allegations that governors in the region are sponsoring killings in Anambra State.

The Ebonyi Governor spoke in Abakaliki, the state capital during a prayer summit organised by the State Government.

He was reacting to allegations by the Special Adviser on Political Matters to Anambra, Governor Obiano, Ifeatu Obiokoye who said that Obiano did not attend the last Southeast Governors Forum meeting because he could not fathom sitting to discuss security with ‘certain individuals’ who were behind the violence plaguing his State.

Umahi admonished politicians to eschew partisan politics in attending to issues of security.

He said: “The security of our State cannot be solved by partisan politics. No southeast governor is importing thugs to kill anybody in Anambra State. I wish that the effect of the hard drug will clear from the person that said it. Abakaliki people were said to be the ones doing IPOB and killing people in Enugu and Anambra.

“We will not belong to Biafra. We will not go back to second slavery. We will not go back to second slavery. We want to belong to Nigeria, we want to belong to fair and equitable Nigeria. Zoning or no zoning, party or no party, southeast will not be schemes out in the affairs of the country,” he said.

Umahi called on political parties not to scheme out the zone in 2023 presidential race.

He said the region has sacrificed a lot and must be allowed to produce the next President of the country whether through zoning or not zoning.

The governor called for integration of the zone into the affairs of the country.

(The Nation)