Summit Rationale
THEME: BEYOND 2023 – TIME FOR A RESET
Introduction
With 2023 general elections over and the petitions on going at the tribunals, stakeholders across the country are now evaluating the outcomes of the elections: the successes, failures, disappointments, strategies, missed opportunities, all with a view to re-planning, re-strategizing and positioning for better successes in the future.
For the South East geopolitical zone, the 2023 elections were an eye opener. All protocols, social pretentions and veils were stripped away by the brutal and toxic content of the campaigns. The true socio-economic and political realities facing the South East in Nigeria were laid bare. More than ever before, the 2023 elections re-opened very sore historical wounds and forced the awareness that certain things will not go away simply by burying them in the sands of history, but by actively working to prevent repeats of the past. What are those mistakes? How can the South East minimize its vulnerabilities and improve its socio-economic condition? The immediate post-election period presents a unique opportunity for the South East to take another hard look at itself, it’s place in post-2023 election Nigeria.
This is a never-to-be-missed opportunity to reset the South East for a more successful and rewarding engagement with itself and the rest of Nigeria. This sort of renaissance does not happen by accident. It takes deep and sound thinking, strategic planning and intra-group re-engagement, and maximal group cohesion and discipline. The security, economic growth and sustainable development of the South East depends on that.
How well the people of the South East embrace and respond to the idea of a “RESET” will shape the future of the zone. Even while waiting for the outcome of the election petition tribunals, it has become urgent and imperative for the South East to begin a process of stocktaking and forward planning towards guiding the zone to a future that guarantees her citizen’s security, economic prosperity and political competitiveness in national and regional geopolitics. It should be clear to people of the South East that whatever the outcome of the election tribunals and the Supreme Court, the zone must position itself to maximize its enormous human resources and technological potential towards building a prosperous and inclusive nation.
It is time for leaders of the South East to come together, irrespective of partisan affiliations (civic, religious or political) and fashion out a road map for the zone. With a sober reflection and much clearer definition of what the South East wants and where it is going, it will be much easier for the entire political elite, the state governments and the representatives of the people at the federal and state levels to work in sync and for the highest interests of the people. Undoubtedly, a better organised zone will be a far more formidable force for others to ignore. In its present state of disharmony and political disorientation, it is easy for the South East to be ignored on national issues with the attendant disenfranchisement and resultant underdevelopment.
As new administrations have come on board at the federal and state levels, it is time for the South East to gather together its political, business, religious, youth, civil society leaders for a serious engagement in a two-day security and economic summit on the way forward for the South East in the new dispensation.
PROPOSED EVENT
A TWO-DAY SECURITY AND ECONOMIC SUMMIT BY AND FOR SOUTH EAST LEADERS
Justifications/Objectives of the Summit
There is a need for the South East political, business, academic, traditional, religious, women and youth leaders to sit down to evaluate where we are today, identify what we have not done well, review which past efforts and strategies succeeded and agree on what we can do better, therefore:
- It has become urgent to create a forum for South East leaders to brainstorm, identify and agree on the needs of the South East;
- It has become necessary to provide a sort of orientation for newly inaugurated/appointed political leaders from the South East, at both the federal and state levels, on the peculiar challenges of the zone and the expectations of the people of them;
- It has become essential for the South East to build up its strengths for unique positioning in the nation and sub-region;
- It has become imperative for the South East to improve its competitiveness in the socio-economic and geopolitical landscape of Nigeria.
- It is become expedient to prepare an agenda for the political leadership in the South East towards accelerated development of the zone in a peaceful and secure environment;
- It is has become necessary to equip South East leaders in identifying legitimate opportunities in their various positions and fields of endeavour and to take maximum advantage of same for the good of the zone;
- It has become essential to create a channel for effective and sustainable engagement between South East leaders and the people for timely response to developments as they arise;
- It has become much-needed to engage with the youths of the South East and understand how they envision the zone of their dreams and how to key into this to build a South East wherein the youths are profitably engaged, enhanced and fulfilled.
- It has become necessary for an agenda to achieve accelerated economic transformation, national political competitiveness, social harmony and effective security in the South East going forward.
Those to Attend
Governors of the five states of the South East, senators, members of the house of representatives, members of the state houses of assembly, local government chairmen, accomplished political leaders, captains of industry, outstanding professionals, academics, leaders of reputable civil society organisations, media executives of South East origin, traditional rulers, notable women in the public/private sectors and politics, leaders of women and youth organisations.
