The Chairman Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has made a passionate appeal to youths and various agitators in the South East of Nigeria to sheath their sword and allow elections to hold and peace to reign in the region. .
Chief Iwuanyanwu who addressed a world Press briefing in Owerri lamented the indiscriminate killing in the region and various parts of the country.
He said that in the past few months he has watched with deep grief the amount of innocent blood being shed, properties belonging to governments, individuals have been wantonly destroyed.
He expressed worry over increasing threats by youth agitators that there will be no elections in Igboland and that all Politicians participating in the elections will be killed, Governors and Government Houses destroyed and security agents seen anywhere will be attacked and killed. He noted that this does not augur well for our people.
Chief Iwuanyanwu said that the Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has been working tirelessly to ensure the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He said that they will not rest on their oars until Nnamdi Kanu gets his freedom.
Chief Iwuanyanwu said that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and some of his supporters including Simon Ekpa will attend in person at the Peace Summit or send their representative. He said that absolute peace is needed in the South East which is what Igbos are known for.
He said that as Chairman Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, he has summoned an emergency meeting of Ohanaeze Elders where the security situation of the South East was critically examined.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Elders Council Chairman expressed concern over the deteriorating security, social and economic conditions noting that many school leavers, graduates spend many years looking for employment without success while many businesses have collapsed due to lack of infrastructure such as power.
Chief Iwuanyanwu regretted that for the first time in the history of Igboland.
“We have witnessed Igbos killing. innocent Igbos for no just cause. He said that when we recall that Igbos lost over two million people during the Civil war, there is no reason why we should shed more blood in Igboland.
The elder Statesman appealed to the agitators and youth to allow peace to reign by ensuring that the elections in the South East are peaceful, adding that the solutions lies in peaceful decisions and negotiations.
He said that the Elders Council has decided to hold a Peace Summit which will give the youths the opportunity to air their grievances and promised that on behalf of the Elders, the issues will be resolved to the best of the their ability. He said that the decision of the Elders have been communicated to the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Chairman Governor’s Forum and the South East Governors so that they will take various steps to arrest the situation.
The Chairman of Elders Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo said ” as a father of the Youths in Igboland as the Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo, as GrandPatron of virtually all Youth Organisations in Igboland and Nigeria and as somebody who has valiantly served Igbos in time of peace and in time of war, apppealed to all concerned to sheath their sword and accept a ceasefire in order to allow elections to take place in South East devoid of any bloodshed. He assured the youths that none of them will be victimised for participating at the Peace Summit.