By Okey Maduforo (Correspondent Awka)
The Southeast Elders Forum on Wednesday denied reports in the media that it had endorsed the second term ambition of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The media was awash with the story on Tuesday that the body endorsed Buhari at its meeting in Enugu.
But the group described the report as untrue insisting that the issue of endorsing any
presidential aspirant or candidate was not in the agenda and was never
discussed during the meeting held in Enugu.
According to the convener of the meeting and former President General
of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife, “The Southeast Elders Forum held its meeting in Enugu of which I am the convener and the issue of endorsing anybody was not even in the meeting’s agenda and was not even discussed.”
“So, we were surprised at the report in some newspapers that we have
endorsed Buhari which is false. We have not endorsed anybody.
“I can read for you the resolution reached at our meeting which went thus:
“That the meeting supports fully the move by the APC-led Federal
Government to engage in restructuring the polity. We urge that the
exercise must be far reaching and involve a cross section of Nigerians
and not members of one political party only.
“We strongly object to the establishment of Cattle Colonies or Grazing
reserves in the Southeast political zone.
“We urge the Federal Government to be pro-active in stopping
immediately the gun wielding herdsmen who sack communities and
villages in various parts of the country.
“We urge the Federal Government of President Muhammed Buhari to
continue the good job it is doing in its fight against corruption.
However there should be no sacred cows.
“We urge the Federal Government to ensure equitable distribution of
appointments, patronages and amenities in the whole country. This will
help entrench sense of belonging.”
“So, we urge the public to discountenance the report that we endorsed Buhari for second term because even Buhari himself has not told anyone that he wants to contest again.”