Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia state, says some of the
grievances of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) are valid.
IPOB, a secessionist group, has been linked with attacks on
security agencies and facilities in the south-east, the most recent being the
attack on Owerri Custodial Centre and police command.
Speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday, Ikpeazu said some of the
“issues raised” by IPOB should be addressed.
He said it is only when those concerns are acknowledged that elected officials will be granted solid ground to preach the gospel of Nigeria’s unity.
The governor expressed his opposition to the strategy IPOB
uses in pushing for its demands. He urged the group to table its grievances in
a civil manner.
He said: “I have taken my time to listen to some of these
issues raised by IPOB: issues about injustice, issues of marginalisation,
issues of trust deficits within the polity called Nigeria as it concerns people
from south-eastern Nigeria. And I think some of those are valid issues and they
should be addressed and spoken to; they should be addressed squarely. So that
everybody and those of us that are in government today can have a foothold
within the south-east region to continue to promote the unity of Nigeria.
“I do not subscribe to the strategy of IPOB in pursuing
their goals. And the reason is because I’m yet to see the end of the tunnel
from where I’m standing and I do not like to take a plunge in the dark. We must
engage and discuss the issue which is bothering them and everybody and we can’t
continue to pretend as if these issues are not valid.
“Equal rights and
justice is an indelible right of all citizens and if through impunity and
carelessness we allow a group of people to begin to feel like they’re not
rightly represented within the polity, it creates a lacuna where people are no
longer confident in the government to protect them and take care of their
interest within the polity. There’s bound to be agitation one way or another.
Some of these reactions may extrapolate to levels that may undermine national
convention and unity.”
The increasing insecurity in the region spurred south-east
governors to establish Ebube Agu, a joint security outfit that was announced on
April 11.
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