The Elders Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo have cried out over the deteriorating security, social and economic conditions in the South-East region.
Consequently, the Council has passionately pleaded with groups threatening to disrupt the conduct of elections in the region through issuance of “Sit-at-Home Order” in the region to rescind their order, adding that a peace summit would soon be organised to enable such groups air their grievances.
Elder statesman and chairman of the council, Chief-Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who made the plea while briefing newsmen in Owerri alleged that the groups had not only threatened to disrupt the exercise through their sit at home order on the election day, but had equally vowed that all politicians taking part in the polls would be killed, governors and Government Houses destroyed and security agencies attacked and killed at sight.
“As a father of the youths in Igbo land, as the Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo as the Grand Patron of virtually all youth organizations in Igbo land and Nigeria, as somebody who has valiantly served Igbos in time of peace and in time of war, I humbly appeal to all concerned to sheath their sword and accept a ceasefire in order to allow elections to take place in the South-east devoid of any bloodshed,” he said.
He said the Elders’ Council had been working tirelessly to ensure the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Iwuanyanwu who denounced the resultant effects of the Civil War on the Igbos said, “I see no reason why we should shed more blood in Igbo land”, even as he pleaded with the people to allow peace to reign by ensuring that the elections in the South-east are peaceful.
According to him, the Elders’ Council would organise a peace summit after the elections which would give Igbos the opportunity to come in person or through a representative to air their grievance “so that we can collectively find a solution and work together to create a new Igbo land built on a foundation of peace, love, prosperity and progress”.
