24hours after a bloody clash between security agencies and pro-Biafran groups in South-East and South-South which left about 30 people dead, including three policemen, a delegation of Igbo politicians have met with President Buhari in a closed-door meeting
President Buhari and the Igbo leaders at Aso Villa
Nigeria's former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani has led an 18-man delegation of Igbo politicians to the presidential villa, Abuja where they had a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The delegation under the aegis of "South-East Group for Change", arrived the Presidential Villa in a bus belonging to the Ken Nnamani Leadership Institute. They included the National Auditor of the APC, George Moghalu; former Senators, Ifeanyi Ararume and Osita Izunaso; former Executive Vice-Chairman of Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Ernest Ndukwe, APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Emma Eneukwu; member of the APC Board of Trustees, Chief Austin Edeze; Dr. Uzoma Obiyo, Chris Akomas among others.
According to The Sun, the delegation told President Buhari that Igbos do not believe the allegation that he does not like them, as he had, in the past, picked a vice presidential candidate from the South-East. Also, the delegation told the president that the fact that the second Niger Bridge was accommodated in the 2016 budget was an indication that he loves Ndigbo. The delegation, however, asked him to extend more appointments to Igbo in order to help the APC gain a better foothold in the region.
It was further learnt that the delegation also demanded that Buhari visits South East and personally receive the Igbos who would defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
On the pro-Biafra agitation, the delegation told President Buhari that the detention of Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is fuelling it, while suggesting that his release would douse the tension.
It was revealed that in President Buhari's reply, he reportedly told the delegation that the notion that he hates Igbo is not true. He was said to have told the visitors that children of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, are his friends.
He also told the delegation that if he does not like Igbos, he would not have received them, while promising that he will continue to work with South easterners.