THE NEW governor of Anambra State Chukwuma Soludo in his inaugural address on Thursday said there was a need to interrogate the purpose and methods of the ongoing campaign by pro-Biafra groups in the South-East.
Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was sworn in as executive governor of Anambra State after winning the November 2021 governorship election as candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
READ ALSO:
Drama as Bianca Ojukwu, Obiano’s wife fight at Soludo’s inauguration
IPOB gives condition for slowing down Biafran agitation
Poor quality work, neglect mar erosion sites in Anambra, despite billions spent
The campaign for the actualisation of an independent Biafran nation in the South-East, championed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), as well as other secessionist groups, has turned violent in recent times, leading to loss of several lives.
Also, the weekly sit-at-home order introduced by IPOB has crippled businesses in the zone.
Soludo noted that it was time to interrogate the activities of the secessionists.
“To IPOB/ESN, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), as well as the disparate armed groups in the forests, it is time to interrogate both the purpose and means of your campaign,” he said.
Condemning the silence of the elite in the state, Soludo called for a review of the situation, stressing that there were better ways to resolve grievances other than resorting to bloodshed and criminality.
He noted that the South-East was incurring huge economic losses due to the sit-at-home order that is in place every Monday, and called for dialogue between the pro-Biafra groups and the government.
The new governor equally condemned politicians who have taken advantage of the situation for selfish gains.
“Let us get around the table and talk. Let the elite in the closet come out, and let’s debate our future and forge a consensus. The conspiracy of silence by the elite and some community leaders must end,” he said.
Soludo noted that Igbos should not leave Nigeria.
He said, “We need Nigeria and Nigeria needs us with our numbers and resources in the Disapora; we don’t need to leave and we will take the various agitations to the Federal Government in order to resolve the disagreement with justice. I am convinced peace will return to the state.”
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.