Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of South-East Governors Forum, David Umahi has restated the commitment of the people of the region to remain in Nigeria, despite calls by some ethnic groups in the country for restructuring of the Federation.
Speaking at a media briefing organized by the Presidential Media Team, on Thursday in Abuja, Umahi said South-East Nigeria has no intention of seceding from Nigeria. He said, “We do not want to secede from Nigeria but we want a Nigeria where justice and equity prevail. We want peace”.
Umahi who lamented the increasing insecurity in the South-East noted that the peaceful agitation by IPOB and other groups in the region has been hijacked by bandits.
He explained that it is mere war propaganda that foreign mercenaries are the ones causing mayhem in the region stressing that citizens of the South-East are responsible for the killings, burning down of police stations, and destruction of property in the region.
The Governor said the agitation for a better region by MASOB, IPOB, and the Eastern Security Network, ESN are offshoots of years of neglect by previous governments and called on youths and others to aggregate their demands for onward transmission to the Federal Government by the Governors of the South-East.
He condemned the mayhem in the region and urged security operatives in the region to intensify efforts in curtailing the situation.
On the recently launched of “Ebube Agu”, Umahi said the outfit is legitimate and has come to stay adding that peace-loving citizens of the State have nothing to fear.
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The Ebonyi Governor stated that it is dangerous for anyone within the region to say there won’t be an election in the South-East in 2023.
He said the attacks on INEC offices within the region are being carried out by bandits and criminals to destroy the image of the people of the South-East.
On the ban on open grazing by the Southern Governors Forum, Umahi said anyone who says the practice of open grazing should continue wants killings to continue as well.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
