2015: Igbo leaders unite to form new group

By Wale Odunsi

In the bid to ensure that a president of Igbo extraction emerge in 2015, Igbo leaders during the week in Enugu, met to form of a new group, the South-East Peoples Development Association (SEPDA).
The event which had in attendance over 200 prominent Igbo sons and daughters was held at the Nike Lake Resort Hotel Enugu on Thursday.
Prominent South-East leaders who attended the meeting include; a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo; Senators Ken Nnamani and Chris Ngige; Mrs. M. Okadigbo, Nnamdi Oriobuna, Julius Ucha, Sylvanus Ngele and Anyim Ude.
Others include former Governor of Ebonyi State, Sam Egwu; former Ebonyi State Deputy Governor, Chigozie Ogbu; Ben Obi, former Education Minister, Chinyere Obaji, and former Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Virgy Etiaba.
Details as at press time was sketchy but sources say Egwu was appointed President of the association, while Nnamani was appointed chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT).
This was in addition to several standing committees that were also constituted.

While speaking, a source said: “South-East Peoples Development Association is aimed at moving the Igbo beyond the present level and ensuring that everyone is carried along.”
Although the association assured that it would not be in conflict with Ohanaeze Ndigbo or any other organization promoting the interest of the Igbo, an Ohanaeze chieftain described the meeting as a gathering of associates of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar under the veil of promoting Igbo interest.
He said: “I was invited to that meeting but when I made enquiries about those who were championing the new group, I discovered that they were all Atiku’s loyalists. So they cannot be promoting Igbo interest but that of Turaki Adamawa.”
DailyPost