…to empower youths, repentant bandits in May/June
…ready to engage opposition political parties
THE Chairman of South East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi, Saturday called on Igbo leaders including youths to apply discretion while pursuing the realization of their demands from the Federal Government.
According to him, you cannot achieve your demands by abusing the President, Governors and other leaders of the country.
The Governor who stated this at the grand finale of the State’s 7 days prayer and fasting at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, condemned the killing of policemen and burning of police stations within the South East region.
He further called on those formenting crisis in the South East to desist from such act noting that what is needed at this point in the nation’s history was peaceful coexistence.
Umahi stated the resolve of his administration towards the empowerment of repentant bandits adding that his Government was putting modalities in place to ensure the empowerment of 3000 Ebonyi youths including those outside the State.
He said: “We are fully fortified by God. There’s no check points again in Ebonyi. We cannot overemphasize the benefits of prayers.
“We have set up peace and reconcilation Committee. I believe in united Nigeria. I don’t believe any section is better than any other. Let us surrender to our leaders. There are lots of merits in the agitation. We can’t achieve it by abusing the President, Governors and other leaders.
“Why are we killing security agencies and burning police stations. Our people are the ones burning police stations and killing security agencies. Most of the security agents being killed are from the South East. We have brought war to ourselves.
“Nobody has the capacity to come and kill us here. We are the only region that is at war with itself. And we pretend. We are the architecture of our problems. When war starts, the situation will become different. No place will be the same. No herdsmen will make attempt to kill us again.
“Herdsmen must conform to the culture of the people. Never again to such killing. Let them not try it again. That rubbish must stop. This madness in this country must stop. We must not be ashamed to borrow fighter jets from other African countries.
“This nonsense must stop. There’s no patriotism. Nobody is demanding the accountability of the ones we have stayed. The situation calls for repentance. This situation must not continue. No foundation was laid for the future generations.
“How can we allow foreign herders to be coming into Nigeria. This thing must stop. Leaders defends bandits in the North and nobody is calling them to order. We know our problem. Nobody will love us more than ourselves. The empowerment of 3000 youths will be in May/June.
“Am not increasing any salary. There should be no strike by the Judiciary or legislature. I will like to engage the opposition parties. Am ready to meet with NGOs and other Unions, farmers and traders which will culminate into a large town hall meeting at the Stadium.”
