By CHARLES IWUOHA

Prominent Igbo leaders have concluded plans to converge in Abuja for the 2nd edition of the Igbo Agenda Dialogue (IAD), a high-level consultative meeting aimed at charting a new political direction for the South-East ahead of the 2026 Igbo Political Summit.

The meeting, convened by Chief Chekwas Okorie, founder of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and respected Igbo statesman, is scheduled to hold on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at Chelsea Hotel, Central Business District, Abuja.

Other include; Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, a former commissioner of information and Orientation in Imo State and one of the prominent voices from the South-East, the conveners said the dialogue was borne out of growing concerns among Igbo leaders about the state of the Igbo Nation in Nigerian politics.

Okorie noted that the dialogue followed several consultations among critical stakeholders across political divides.

He said it had become compelling to convene a select meeting of Igbo leaders and influencers to deliberate on what should form the political agenda of Ndigbo in contemporary Nigerian politics.

According to the statement jointly signed by Okorie and Jonathan Elendu, Executive Secretary of the Dialogue, the meeting would focus on uniting the Igbo political class and strengthening the region's relevance in national politics irrespective of party affiliation.

"The Igbo have been blessed with a huge population and enviable geographical spread, which have remained largely untapped over the years," the letter read. "We have no excuse to lack relevance and well-deserved respect in Nigeria."

The organisers stressed that the dialogue is non-partisan, even though its subject matter is political, and expressed the view that the time had come for Igbo leaders to collectively provide the needed guidance for future generations.

Two key items will dominate the discussions at the Abuja meeting — the proposed Igbo Political Charter and the Igbo Political Summit slated for Enugu in 2026. Other critical political and socio-economic issues affecting the region will also feature prominently.

"The 2nd meeting has become compelling and crucial," the statement added. "We owe ourselves and younger generations the responsibility to provide guidance and chart a deliberate action plan to reverse our present unacceptable situation in a sustainable manner."

With renewed calls for unity and inclusiveness, the organisers say the Igbo Agenda Dialogue will serve as a platform to harmonise divergent political interests and reposition the Igbo Nation for a stronger voice in the evolving national equation.