President-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has declared that the plan to host this year’s Igbo Day 2023 and security and economic summit concurrently was deliberate.
In a statement he issued yesterday, Iwuanyanwu clarified that hosting the two events in Enugu and Owerri respectively for two days concurrently was to ensure the attendance of eminent Igbo sons and daughters.
He said the arrangement did not portend that there was any “conflict or clash” of interest among the Igbos or their leaders concerning the two events as according to him “Both events are dear to Ndigbo and the South East geo-political zone.
“This is why we have decided to host both events concurrently to ensure massive attendance by our people.”
He stated that the programmes for the two events were perfectly structured to accommodate the schedules of the governors of the South East states and eminent sons and daughters of the area to attend both events.
Iwuanyanwu said, “On the 28th, all of us will be in Owerri, Imo State for the first day of the summit, which starts by 10am, by 4pm the same day, first programme of Igbo Day 2023, a public lecture, will be held at the Old Governor’s Lodge, Enugu.
“The summit will continue in Owerri on Friday the 29th with breakaway sessions on security, economy, and, related issues by only invited stakeholders, professionals, technocrats and experts, while on the same 29th the grand finale of Igbo Day 2023 will continue in Enugu for all other Igbo sons and daughters”.
The Ohanaeze leader also explained that every state in the South East is within two hours driving distance from each other, so would be easy for those who would attend to move from each of the venue to the other on time.