*Sets up committee to interface with stakeholders
*Harps on imperative of true federalism
Deji Elumoye and Emameh Gabriel in Abuja
The South East Caucus in the National Assembly has resolved to seek political solution to the case of detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The Caucus comprising of Senators and House of Representatives members from the five South East states across party divides at an extraordinary meeting Wednesday in Abuja has therefore constituted a committee to interface with necessary stakeholders including the federal government and relevant agencies towards finding a political solution to the issue.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting presided over by former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and signed by all members of the Caucus, the federal lawmakers from the South East zone
stated that they elaborately discussed the issue of Mazi Nnamdi and resolved to intervene.
“To this end, we resolved to set up a committee to constructively interface with relevant stakeholders, the Federal Government and its relevant agencies towards finding a political solution. We will keep Ndigbo abreast of developments in regard”.
The Caucus stressed the need for true Federalism that will enable the region to develop at its pace.
It also condemned the ugly situation that led to the scuttling of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) SSSCE English Examination, where disgruntled elements, acting under the guise of enforcing the so-called sit-at-home, chased away students and set machine of a teacher ablaze.
According to the caucus: “We condemn in strongest terms the disruption of the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in some parts of the South East, particularly the incident at Comprehensive Secondary School, Nkume, Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, where the English examination organised by the West Africa Examination Council, WAEC, on Monday, September 13, 2021, was ruthlessly scuttled by armed men, who chased away the students, teachers, and examiners before setting ablaze motorcycles belonging to the teachers.”
The Group expressed solidarity with the people of South East, while bemoaning the incalculable economic losses and hardships “the sit-at-home ordered by the IPOB and the mayhem some nefarious elements have seized the opportunity to visit on the lives, properties, and psyche of our people was unlike of Ndigbo.
The Caucus resolved to continue to fight for a level-playing ground and an enabling federal system where Ndigbo are able to develop their homeland at their own pace and equally pursue their happiness and actaulise their enormous potentials in every part of the country, unmolested.
It called on Ndigbo to go about their lawful businesses while enjoining governors and the security agencies to rebuild confidence the people by not only ensuring the security of their lives and properties, but also ensuring that they feel safe as they undertake their legitimate businesses.
On the incessant killing in the zone, the group said, “we equally condemned in strongest terms the incessant killings in the South East. This must stop immediately. We call on the security agencies to unravel the culprits behind these wicked acts and ensure that they are brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others.
“We appeal to our people not to allow anyone to destroy the South East region. The post-war South East was not built through government patronage, but largely by the sheer determination and sacrifices of our people, who refused to resign to fate or bow their heads in defeat. It is in Igbo land that you easily find hospitals, schools, roads, and other social amenities built by individual or communal efforts of the people, home and abroad, through the instruments of the town unions and other community organisations such as the age grades, Umuada, etc. The result is the comparative transformation witnessed in every nook and cranny of Igbo land post-civil war. Therefore, as a people, we cannot begin to undermine ourselves or become our own nemesis.
“Times like these call for introspection. We must also always bear in mind that our people thrive on industry, commerce, and the informal sector. Importantly, most of our people depend on daily income. Therefore, while we must fight for our rights and legitimately express our displeasures over every form of mistreatment, injustice, and inequity, we certainly cannot afford to be the proverbial lizard that ruined his mother’s funeral. Anything that threatens Igbo businesses, the peace, security, and stability of the South East threatens our very existence as a people. Consequently, bearing in mind that if we allow cracks in the wall, lizards will invade our home, we must all pull together as one people to discourage and resist any tendencies and actions, within or without, which pollute our business environments or encourages anarchy and instability in our region”
The Caucus expressed its determination to join hands with other patriotic Nigerians across regional, religious, political, and ethnic divides to reconstruct a federal system where the rights, happiness, and prosperity and those of our unborn generations are guaranteed.
