Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation says President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to the infrastructure development of the South-East of the country.
Onu stated this during the expanded South-East zonal caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday at Uburu.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was to strengthen the party in the area by addressing issues to dismantle existing factions ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He said that the insinuations that Mr President hated the South-East were unfounded and lacked substance.
According to him, Buhari has demonstrated enough love for the zone through the many projects embarked upon by his administration that were at various levels of completion.
He, therefore, called on the people of the zone to support the president and the APC-led Federal government to enable the zone to benefit more from the administration.
Onu pointed out that Buhari had honoured two illustrious sons from the region; late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, first civilian president and late Dr Alex Ekwueme, former civilian vice president of Nigeria with landmark projects.
“Parts of the Enugu-Onitsha and Enugu-Portharcourt highways, despite being major express roads were converted to farmlands because they were abandoned and left in total disrepair.
“Today, the Buhari-led government has reconstructed the roads and other major roads in the South-East and if you go there now, there is no portion of the roads used as farmland.
“You can now drive from Onitsha to Enugu; you can drive from Enugu to Port Harcourt freely.
“Though the roads are not yet tastefully completed but work is going on at a very fast speed that everybody can see that there is a determination to get the roads completed.
“Work at the second Niger bridge is moving at a very fast speed and the President has made a commitment to get it completed by 2022.
“Zik’s Mausoleum at Onitsha was completed within three years after 16 years that work started on the Mausoleum.
“Also, Buhari named the Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo after the late Dr Alex Ekwueme, a great Igbo son and former civilian vice president of Nigeria as a recognition of how he loves the South-East.
“Mr President has again assured that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport currently under rehabilitation will be completed by Easter this year,” Onu said.
He appealed to members of the party to remain united and focused while urging the South-East zone to rally behind Buhari.
Stakeholders who spoke at the meeting called on the party to resolve differences that arose during the 2019 elections in order to move the party forward.
They noted that resolving factional differences would strengthen as well as reposition it to enable it to capture, at least, three states in the zone in the 2023 general elections.
Mr Uche Ogah, Minister of State for Mines and Solid Minerals Development, Chief Emeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, Mr Sullivan Chime, former Governor of Enugu state attended the meeting.
