The chairman of the South East Governors Forum and governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, on Tuesday lamented how he was embarrassed and humiliated in New York City during the just concluded 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Umahi, who said he accompanied President Mohammadu Buhari to the UNGA meeting, noted that he was specially singled out, humiliated and searched, just because he is a Nigerian.
Umahi made this known while addressing a mammoth crowd of Ebonyians who attended the 59th anniversary of Nigeria and Ebonyi state at 23, that took place at the Pa Ngele Oruta township stadium, Abakaliki capital of Ebonyi state.
The governor further noted that, he will be travelling with President Mohammad Buhari again to South Africa to find solution to the lingering crisis between Nigerians living South Africa and the citizens of the host country.
According to him “Let me assure Ebonyi people and the entire southeast that the closure of the Akanu-Ibiam International Airport at Enugu was for the safety of our people.
“As the chairman of south East governors forum, I had a meeting with Mr president and we have agreed on modalities for quick execution and of cause comprehensive over haul of that airport.
“We are seeking for a special funding with Mr president and as i travel with him, i will also reveal to him how much we have gone in the release of the funds for the quick completion of that project.
“We have provided two coaster buses, 10 pick up vans and a brand new liaison zone office in Owerri, this will assist our people who are travelling to the airport there.
The governor, however, warned against speaking ill of President Buhari and governors of various states in the country, noting that castigating the President will not add any value to the progress of the country.
“Castigating leaders openly will not add any value to what we seek rather our eyes should be on the ball.
“We must as Nigerians do everything to uphold our cultural value and better ourselves outside the country. The way we are treated outside the shores of this land is not encouraging, we must have to do empirical evaluation of ourselves, we get devalued a lot in other nations.
“I got calls from people in Ghana, saying that a lot of them are about to be sentenced, some people have been imprisoned for 1000 years and some 500 years imprison.
“And so, it is important that as Nigerians, we should reevaluate our statues and our values because the way we are treated even as a governor, you don’t wear governor at the airport.
“When I was in America, they singled some of us out and conducted a thorough search, it is an intimidation. We will not continue to live in such manner that bring humiliation to our nation, it is very important,” he noted
