ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Pan-Ijaw socio-cultural group, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), has supported the call by the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, that equity, justice and fairness remain the panacea for peace, unity and development of the country.
President-General, INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, in a statement on Sunday commended the President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor, for not shying away from pinpointing those unaddressed national issues that had continued to negatively impact the development of the country.
Prof. Obiozor reportedly called for peace and development in the South-eastern part of Nigeria during President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Imo State last Friday.
Okaba said Obiozor’s call was quite timely, especially now that the entire Southern part of the country, like other parts of the country, were experiencing some form of challenges, crises, insecurity, disquiet and other problems.
He said: “I have read with delight the statement credited to the President-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor, on the need for peace and development in the South-eastern part of Nigeria as part of his address during President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Imo state to inaugurate some projects on Friday, September 10, 2021.
“His plea is in sync with the position of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and other socio-cultural organizations across the country for peace and development, which can only be engineered and engendered by equity, justice and fairness in the affairs of our beloved country.
“We, therefore, commend the President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. Obiozor, for affirming his organisation’s commitment to the unity of Nigeria with the hope that the presence of President Buhari in Igboland will form a new fulcrum for a platform for a meaningful dialogue on critical issues of concern in the Igbo nation.
“We see the position of Obiozor, especially in the areas of roads, railways and ports’ infrastructure development, as an extension of the wider position and disposition of the people of the larger Southern part of the country for unparalleled development, growth, advancement and peace of the area generally.”