By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Some South East professionals have urged Igbo’s sons and daughters to support the Buhari-led administration in its quest to enthrone national unity, security and peaceful co-existence.
This is as the group commended President Muhammadu Buhari for what they said was his laudable developmental projects in the zone, saying the feat remained unmatched in recent political history of the country.
The professionals, who operate under the umbrella of Coalition of South East Professionals Network in Nigeria and Diaspora, (CSEPNND), said the action of the President was a demonstration of his love for the Igbo, contrary to views being expressed in many quarters.
They therefore enjoined Ndigbo at home and in the diaspora, to disregard insinuations that President Buhari does not like Igbo, noting that the disposition of some elders from the zone, was detrimental to the collective interest of the people.
The professionals in a statement by their National President, Prof. Madumere Chika, and National Secretary, Mazi Anayo Uchemba, the South East professionals accused the unnamed elders of pursuing their personal interests whenever they met with President Buhari.
Accordingly, they appealed to relevant organisations, interest groups and other stakeholders promoting and projecting the Igbo agenda, to do so in a non-violent manner.
Specifically, the group tasked prominent Igbo sons and daughters, as well as groups,to denounce the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and its violent inclination.
It was the network’s argument that condemning the activities of IPOB, will send a loud signal to the federal government and all Nigeria, that the people do not approve of the separatist organisation’s violent agenda.
At all material times, they added, Igbo must pursue their agenda in a non-violent and peaceful manner, even as negotiation and other legitimate platforms should also be deployed, in a bid to achieve set objectives.
“As a network of professionals, with interest in projecting the Igbo race, we make bold to say that never in the history of modern Nigeria, has the South East found favour in the side of a government like now”, the group said in the statement.
It claimed that same was unparalleled , hence the need for Ndigbo to support the federal government towards the attainment if its national unity objective.
The statement reads in full: “It is for this unparalleled allocation of developmental projects to the South East, that we send our words of congratulations to President Muhammadu Buhari who, unfortunately, is largely misunderstood.
“To buttress our point, may we respectfully draw attention to the never-before-attention that is being paid the East-West road, the second Niger bridge, Enugu – Port Harcourt road and other people-centred projects dotting the zone.
“To this end, we call on all sons and daughters, lovers of Igbo, to support President Buhari and other lawful authorities, with a view to uniting the country, which is a task that must be done.
“Equally, we call on some of our elders, who choose selfish interest over collective good, to desist forthwith, or be exposed.
“In the same token, we plead with Ndigbo at home and in the diaspora, to rise in condemnation of IPOB and all the group stands for, saying the loud silence being maintained, would not augur well for the South East”
“We have a lot to gain in a United Nigeria. Let’s join hands to make it work.”
