By Ayodele Oni
Leader, South-east caucus in the National Assembly, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has again called on Ohanaeze and the South-east Governors Forum to immediately convene a meeting of the Zone’s leaders to genuinely dialogue and find solutions to the increasing level of insecurity in the South East and also offer solutions to the security situation nationwide.
He emphasised, in a write-up on the current security situation nationwide, that “it is imperative to underscore the fact that the rising insecurity and agitations in the South East are not peculiar to the region.
“It, sadly, has become a national new normal. From the North West to North Central, North East, South West, South East, and South South, there is a conflagration of insecurity, crises, and all forms of restiveness and separatist agitations.
“Therefore, for emphasis, I reiterate that it is extreme and dangerous to play national or regional politics with serious matters such as we have on our hands today rather than solving the challenges before it is too late.
“Pragmatic leadership and patriotism are needed at this time. We need to rally Nigerians, and come together as leaders to provide solutions and not trade blames or seek to make political capital out of what is clearly capable of consuming the entire nation, including even any political ambitions by anyone.”
The Former Deputy President of the Senate described as dangerous a situation whereby some people are shifting blame and playing politics with the present insecurity.
“It is unfortunate that some people prefer to blame everyone else, except themselves, believing that their brothers and sisters on opposing political divides will be profiled and taken out for them by federal might ahead of 2023 to make it easier for them to kidnap political positions in the South East. This is extreme and dangerous politics.
“It is on record that the South East leaders have at various times individually and collectively stated their positions on the challenges in the region, the concerns and demands of the South East people of Nigeria.
“They have also reiterated their opposition to the use of violence to resolve problems.
“I believed initially that those were genuine concerns about the security situation in the South East. However, I have come to the realisation that those making and inducing the statements are only playing politics with a very serious matter.
“The objective is to lay the foundation for the harassment and possible destruction of the opposition in the South East ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
“Importantly, I have consistently advocated that justice, equity, better management of our diversity, and decentralised policing, including state police of which I sponsored a Bill to that effect in the 8th and current Senate, are the sure paths to peace and security in Nigeria. But these have largely been ignored.
“In any case, it is sheer blackmail and out of place to say that South East leaders, myself inclusive, have been quiet on recent events in the region.
“Most recently, on Sunday, May 30, 2021 to be specific, the leaders of the South East Caucus of the National Assembly, of which I am one, as well as a Member of the Senate and House of Representatives from each State of the South East region issued a joint press statement wherein we unequivocally condemned the killings and attacks on public assets in our region and called on the security agencies to immediately unveil persons behind the crisis, especially the so-called unknown gunmen, and bring them to book.
“I have equally been in personal touch with Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide on the issues in the South East region. I have personally spoken with the governors of the South East, impressing on them the need to call meetings of all stakeholders in their states and engage everyone, irrespective of their political persuasions, to find solutions to the security challenges in their respective states in particular and the South East in general.
“I have personally spoken with Governor Hope Uzodinma on the need for a meeting of political stakeholders and leaders in Imo State to collectively proffer solutions to the turbulence in that state.”
