Deputy Speaker of the Home of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu on Tuesday gave a ray of hope on the discharge of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention, saying releasing the latter is achievable.
It will likely be that the Supreme Court docket just lately ordered the retrial of the chief of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) who has been in detention for a protracted whereas now.
The Deputy Speaker’s place was confirmed through an announcement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu.
Consequently, his incarceration has generated numerous agitations together with the Sit-at-House noticed on Mondays within the South East area.
However talking just about on the ‘South East Political Roundtable’, a present affairs radio programme on FLO FM in Umuahia on Tuesday, Hon. Kalu stated that talks have been ongoing to free Kanu.
He nonetheless suggested the youth of the southeast to make sure that the observance of sit-at-home should cease, emphasizing that it was scaring many traders who wish to contribute to the event of the area.
Hon. Kalu who additionally spoke on the positive aspects of the just lately unveiled Peace In South East Venture (PISE-P) in Bende Native Authorities Space of Abia, requested these carrying arms to put down their weapons and be part of within the nonkinetic method being canvassed by the initiative to finish the safety challenges and different agitations of the folks.
The Deputy Speaker known as for help to allow the federal government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ship optimally, saying that the President is within the improvement of the southeast.
He stated: “We will’t put all our packages and plans on social media. He’s my brother. Is he within the mixture of what we are attempting to do? Sure! It’s considered one of our agendas to make sure he’s launched. Who needs their brother to be in jail?
“We’re working underground. There’s an in depth technique. It’s not by violence, you possibly can’t coerce the federal government via violence. It has by no means labored and gained’t work. Let’s be wiser. The knowledge is in peace. Let’s quench the violence.
“If it’s chaotic, it gained’t work. Let’s settle down. Let the person see that you simply’ve recognised he didn’t contribute to locking him up and that he has not performed something to the southeast. We should always help him and his authorities and never assault him.
“I’m standing firmly towards the voice of violence, preaching peace. That’s what I’m right here for, this voice of peace will echo via the Villa and he’ll come out. Mr President was proud of what occurred in Bende. That the entire nation can collect collectively and help this challenge.
“Our power doesn’t lie in what number of weapons we stock, on how many individuals we threaten to not come out on Monday, that isn’t the show of the power of an Igbo man.
“Igbo males aren’t lazy individuals who like sitting at residence from Saturday to Sunday to Monday and go to work solely Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, that isn’t us; we’re hard-working, we’re rebuilders, we’re by no means down and once we are down, we discover a strategy to stand on our ft and lift our shoulders and rebuild once more, that’s my name to our folks.
“We will convey you into the rebuilding that we’re doing. We will convey you into the reconciliation. We will convey you in for rehabilitation and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is within the Igbos.
“Take a look at what he has performed by giving us the Chief of Naval Employees which we by no means acquired within the final eight years. Did I simply point out the Naval Chief, what concerning the minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, my good good friend?
“Mr President gave the minister of works to an Igbo son that proves himself in Ebonyi and he stated, come and construct what you probably did in Ebonyi in your entire Nigeria ranging from the 5 states of the South East and the one means we pay the president again is to say there can be no work on Monday?
“Take a look at what occurred for the very first time, 15 billionaires of Igbo extraction gathered in Bende. That’s to inform you that they’re able to convey their trade right here, they’re able to construct factories that can make use of you, so why do you scare them away?
“Authorities can’t do every thing for you. Our brothers who’ve cash wish to convey it again residence. A few of them wish to do it however you might be scaring them away. How lengthy are we going to promote concern to our folks?
“It is a new yr. It is a new period. It is a new daybreak and I urge you to come back and be part of palms with us. We are going to make you the chief of this challenge. Don’t lead these carrying weapons, come and lead those that will name the peace marshals, let’s provide you with accountability, let’s provide you with a process.
“And I name on all of you who’re in help of the sit-at-home on Monday, it’s time to cease. It’s time to cease the sit at residence on Mondays.
“In case your agitation is concerning the launch of Nnamdi Kanu; we love our Igbo land and we love our brother and he’s my brother. That he’s locked up doesn’t make him much less of my brother and that you’re agitating doesn’t make you much less of my brother.
“However I’m saying that there’s a higher strategy to get it performed. There are various methods to kill a rat. Allow us to search for different ways in which we will kill this rat with out destroying our residence.
“Allow us to come collectively and unite and I can guarantee you that when we unite, there’s nothing we ask this authorities that we can’t get together with the one you might be asking for our brother, additionally it is achievable.”
Hon. Kalu additionally appreciated the governors of the 5 Japanese States for the help they’re giving to PISE-P.
The Deputy Speaker stated that there was nothing political concerning the challenge, stressing that it was all about neighborhood service.
“The Governors of the assorted states of the southeast, you possibly can’t do with out them. I can guarantee you all of them need peace for the southeast. None of them is towards this. They’re in full help.
“You don’t depart the job just for the governors. Allow them to play from the highest, we play from the underside, then we meet midway. Then, clear up our issues.
“The peace in southeast challenge just isn’t politics, it’s about neighborhood challenge anchored on peace. That’s why members of the PISE-P are from totally different political events.
“I can guarantee you, via this challenge the southeast won’t stay the identical. All of the boys who’re carrying weapons, there’s hope for them, as a result of We are going to get them gainfully employed, they gained’t wasted”.
Kalu additionally said that there is no such thing as a conflict of curiosity between PISE-P and Ohaneze Ndi Igbo.
In accordance with him, the thought of the challenge was first communicated to the President-Common of the apex Igbo socio-cultural physique, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, including that he’s in full help of the challenge.
“Which conflict of curiosity? He’s in full help of this challenge. He’s passionate concerning the peace and unity of Igbo land. We’re partnering with him,” Hon. Kalu stated.