Enugu Airport: S’East Govs, Igbo leaders to meet Buhari

Irked by the dearth of infrastructure in the South-east zone as well as the closure of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Governors in the Zone rose from an emergency meeting in Enugu on Monday with a resolution to hold an all-important “strategic meeting” with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Addressing journalists at the end of the three-hour closed-door meeting, the Chairman of the South-east Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Dave Umahi said the content of the proposed meeting would be made public “in due course”.

He, however, refused to give further details about the closed-door meeting.

"My dear brothers and sisters, we just finished our meeting, South-east governors meeting with our leaders, and we resolved that we are going to see our president for the welfare of our people in Southeast; that is what we resolved.

"When we come back, we'll give you the content of our meeting with the president, thank you and God bless."

Apart fro Governor Umahi, other Governors present include Governor of Enugu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu. Governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo state was represented by his deputy, Gerald Irona.

Other notable Igbo leader present at the meeting were the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; former Governor of old Anambra state, Sen Jim Nwobodo; Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Calistus Onaga; other religious leaders.

Checks by the media revealed that the among the issues that would possibly top the agenda of the planned meeting with the president include the closure of Akanu Ibiam International Airport.


The airport was shut on August 24, 2019,and up till the time of filing this report, no meaningful activity has taken place at the airport.

It was also gathered that the slow pace of reconstruction work at Enugu-Onitsha and Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway May also form part of the meeting.


Sources also said the governors plan to extensively discuss the increasing spate of ecological challenges in the Zone especially in Abia and Anambra states with the president when they meet, among others.