By CHARLES IWUOHA

Former governors of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu and Chief Martin Elechi, have appealed to the Federal Government to rename the Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo International Airport to Senator Dr. Offia Nwali.

The two former governors jointly made the appeal on Sunday during a celebration to mark Nigeria’s 63rdindependence anniversary and 27 years of Ebonyi State’s creation at Ochudo Centenary City, Abakaliki.

Speaking on behalf of the founding fathers of Ebonyi State, former governor Martin Elechi said the Ebonyi people are not happy with the naming of the new airport after Chuba Wilberforce Okadigbo.

Elechi said: “Before the creation, there were founding fathers. Before the withdrawal of white men from Nigeria, there were founding fathers who were driven to have new states and new environments that would favour their people.

“Today, we are happy to be in Ebonyi State and an independent Nigeria. Just lately, development has come with turbulence and tribulations. We have been facing both, however, victory has been the crown of all the struggles. We are grateful to God and thankful to all those who have one way or the other made our state.

“Also, Your Excellency, Ebonyi people are not happy to hear our new airport being called Chuba Okadigbo’s Airport. Chuba is a great Nigerian, but he is not known in Ebonyi State neither will Ebonyi people say this is what he did for them.

“When I was state secretary of NPN, National Party of Nigeria, Okadigbo was vying for the Senate. We were friendly. All I remember is that he used to visit me at 5 Igboeze Street, Enugu and we would settle over a bottle of brandy till the bottle was emptied. We did not talk about the Ebonyi people or their problems and solutions.

“Understandably, General Muhammadu Buhari knew our problems. When he was the Brigade Major in Abakaliki, he gave us the pass that enabled us to go to Ogoja to plead our case otherwise we would have been arrested by security people over what we were doing to create Ebonyi State.

“We love him and it was proper to name the airport after him. But since he didn’t accept it, the airport should be named after someone else. That airport is less than ten kilometres from the primary school where Senator Offia Nwali made his marks as a student. And that is the request I am making on behalf of the founding fathers and on behalf of the people of Ebonyi Central Zone.

“We thank you for your hard work and your vision for the development of Ebonyi State. It is a very good vision indeed,” he said.