Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged the people of the South East to maintain peace and steer their youth away from armed rebellion against the Federal Government, warning that any attempt to seize power through violence would be crushed by state forces.
Speaking on Saturday at the funeral of Sir Albert Ikechukwu Nnamani, former Administrative Secretary of the now-defunct Oil Mineral Producing Area Development Commission (OMPADEC), in Ikem, Enugu State, Akpabio said development can only flourish in an atmosphere of stability.
“For Ndigbo, I plead with you to continue to maintain the peace and guide today’s youth. They do not understand politics or development. You can only have development where there is peace,” he said.
“Any attempt to wrestle power or assert independence through armed struggle against the Federal Government will fail. State power will always overwhelm you.”
In a statement issued to journalists in Abuja, Akpabio assured that the National Assembly is committed to legislating for equity, including the creation of an additional state for the South East to bring the region on par with others.
“We are prepared as a parliament to make the right laws, to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, so that Ndigbo can have at least one more state. That is the promise we make, and we stand by it,” he said.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for correcting historical injustices, particularly in federal appointments, but stressed that such gains must be negotiated peacefully.
“Through peaceful means and negotiation, we shall secure our rightful place in Nigeria. I want this to happen in your lifetime. May we not lose our youth to wrong politics, wrong advice, or disaffection,” Akpabio added.
He lamented the economic damage caused by the sit-at-home orders in the South East, noting that the once-thriving economy of Onitsha had been severely hit.
“Ndigbo are known for enterprise. When we returned from the war, all your accounts were frozen. If you had two million pounds, you were given three pounds. What can you do with three pounds?” he asked.
Recalling a 2010 Silverbird award event, Akpabio said past Nigerian leaders were uncomfortable when he pointed out that the “reconstruction” component of the post-civil war “three Rs” — Reconciliation, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction — was never implemented in the South East and South South, despite those regions being the epicentre of the conflict.
“That reconstruction was missing,” he said, adding that it was time for Nigeria to do justice to Ndigbo.
Paying tribute to the late OMPADEC administrator, Akpabio described Sir Albert Nnamani as a man who discharged his duties with dignity and candour, helping to lay the groundwork for Niger Delta development.
“Before his time, many believed federal promises were merely ‘in the pipeline’. After a while, our people began breaking pipelines to retrieve those promises. But those days are now behind us,” the Senate President concluded.
