From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
The federal government and leaders of the South East geo-political zone have been called upon to urgently collaborate efforts to douse the rising tension in the region.
Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum and the Monday Diamond Foundation who made the call at the weekend in Enugu expressed worry over the continued insecurity and violence in the South East.
They also urged Igbo leaders to intensify efforts to engage the federal government to give the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu a fair hearing at the scheduled commencement of his trial slated for October 21.
At a joint press conference in Enugu the duo who addressed newsmen through their spokesman, Monday Diamond Ani, stressed that giving the IPOB leader a fair hearing would go a long way to stop the purported attempts to mar the forthcoming Anambra election and collapse business activities in the South East with sit-at-home protests.
They lamented that the South East had lost trillions of Naira for missing out severally on the first day of working weeks due to the sit-at-home order in the region issued by the IPOB as a result of the continued detention of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In their joint statement signed by Diamond and the Leader, Concerned Igbo Stakeholders, Chukwuma Okenwa The groups expressed concern that the rising spate of insecurity and violence in the Southeast would escalate if nothing was done to stem the tide.
They also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use the opportunity of Kanu’s trial to demonstrate his commitment towards the stability of peace and economic prosperity in the South East, by ensuring that the commencement of the trial employed all rightful judicial processes as enshrined in the law of the land.
“If a region that is a part of the One Nigeria equation says they should be fairly treated especially as it concerns their general welfare and political positions in the country, it is the responsibility of the Father of the Nation to treat the issue judiciously and diplomatically.
“While we commend the Leaders of the South on their efforts towards managing the rising tensions in the South East, we request the South East leaders to intensify more efforts towards engaging the Federal Government of Nigeria to give Mazi Nnamdi Kanu a fair hearing especially, as the scheduled commencement of his trial which is slated for 21st October 2021 is around the corner.
They called on the people of Anambra State to turn out en masse and vote for the candidates of their choice in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Meanwhile, the duo announced The South East Debate’21 holding on the October 20 in Enugu, where the issue of the agitations in the South East and Security shall be discussed by the elite,youths and students for the propellant of National Unity, Peace and Progress.
“It will be a day where the Royal Fathers, Religious Leaders, University Summit and Leaders in the South East will brainstorm to come up with recommendations of the Way forward at this point in time in the South East and the rest of the country as a whole.”