Akpabio urges Southeast to embrace peace, reject armed struggle
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has appealed to people of the South-East, particularly the Ndigbo, to sustain peace and guide the youth away from armed struggle against the
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has appealed to people of the South-East, particularly the Ndigbo, to sustain peace and guide the youth away from armed struggle against the Nigerian government.
Akpabio made the call at the weekend during the funeral of former Administrative Secretary of the defunct Oil Mineral Producing Area Development Commission, Sir Albert Ikechukwu Nnamani, who was buried in his hometown, Ikem, in Enugu State.
He stressed that meaningful development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace, urging community leaders and elders to mentor young people and discourage violent agitation.
Akpabio said: "For Ndigbo, l want to plead with you to continue to maintain the peace and watch the youth of today. They don't understand politics. They don't understand development. You can only have development in an area of peace.
"A situation whereby you try to wrestle power and try to assert independence through armed struggle from the Federal Government will fail. The state power will always overwhelm you.
"We are prepared as a parliament to make the right laws, to tinker with the Act, to dot the i's and cross the t's in order for Ndigbo to have, at least, an additional state. So that they will also be equal to the other zones of the country. So, for this, is the promise that we make and we stand by that.
"The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very eager to right the wrongs of the past. That is why, even in terms of appointment, he has done his best to ensure that Ndigbo is not marginalised. But everything you want should be negotiated.
"I'm saying this to underscore the fact that through peaceful means and negotiation, we shall get our rightful place in Nigeria. I want this to happen in your lifetime. May we not lose our youth because of wrong politics and wrong advice? May we not lose our youth because of disaffection and people misleading them.
"We need a solid base in Ndigbo land. I am not happy that the economy of Onitsha and Nigeria is affected by the so-called sit-at-home. It has affected your economy so badly.
"Ndigbo are known for nothing but enterprise. When we came out from the war, all your accounts were frozen. If you have two million pounds, they gave you three pounds. What will you do with three pounds.
"So when I was given an award in 2010 by Silverbird. I saw all the gladiators sitting together. Then I asked them: how come the so-called three Rs - Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction - that Reconstruction happened in other areas of the country where the war was not fought.
"But in the area of the South-South and Southeast, where Biafra war was fought, there was no reconstruction. They only tried reconciliation and rehabilitation. That R (Reconstruction) was missing."
Akpabio noted that some past leaders present at the event were uncomfortable with his remarks but insisted that justice must prevail, expressing hope that equity would be achieved for the region.
He concluded by praying that justice would be done to Ndigbo within the lifetime of the current generation.
The Senate President also paid tribute to the late Nnamani, describing him as a committed public servant who played a key role in the early development of the Niger Delta through his service in OMPADEC.
According to him, “as administrative secretary of the former OMPADEC, he discharged his duty with dignity and with candour, and he set the tone for the development of the Niger Delta region.
"Before his ascension into that position, many used to say that so much is being promised the people of the Niger Delta and that all the promises were in the pipeline. After a while, our people started breaking the pipelines in order to bring out the Federal Government's promises. But those things are now things of the past."
