Five governors of Nigeria’s South-South states plan talks with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss various security issues affecting the zone, including the menace of herdsmen.
The governors, who are members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), met on Sunday in Asaba, the capital of Delta State.
At the meeting were Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, that of Akwa Ibom, Gabriel Udom Emmanuel; Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike; Bayelsa, Seriake Dickson, and Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade.
They discussed security challenges posed by Fulani herdsmen and condemned the recent pipeline vandalism in the Niger delta.
Discussions were also focused on the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State and the governors resolved to reposition the party to be victorious.
At a press conference after the meeting, which held at the Delta State Government House, Asaba, the host, Governor Okowa, said that far reaching decisions were made.
His words: “We discussed issues concerning our great party, the PDP. You will recall that our convention has been fixed to hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on May 21 and we are putting plans in place for that convention.
“The Chairman of the committee for the convention is Governor Wike of Rivers State and we use this medium to call on all our supporters and members of the PDP to desist from any form of crisis before, during and after the convention. We accepted, as a party, and the leadership of the party agreed that the national convention should hold at Port Harcourt. We stand by that resolution,” he added.
Okowa stated that issues bothering on the PDP in Edo State and the governorship elections coming up in September, 2016 were also discussed, asserting that they tried to map out strategies to strengthen the PDP in Edo State.
Asked about the strategies to muscle power from the All Progressive Congress-led government in Edo State, Governor Okowa, beaming with smile alongside his colleagues said: “We will not let the cat out of the bag because we are putting things in place at the moment”.
