Reps member fingers Uzodinma on active involvement, others on being secretive
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma is fuelling the violence in the South East where gunmen enforce a sit-at-home order to disrupt lives and businesses that ground the economy of the region, a federal lawmaker has alleged.
Ikenga Ugochinyere, a member of the House of Representatives, made the allegation on Arise News where he claimed other South East Governors are also in on the plot but Uzodinma is the mastermind he is very sure about.
Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato Federal Constituency in Imo, said some South East Governors are seeking an end to the mayhem while others are clandestinely supporting it.
“Some of the Governors in the South East are enjoying the crisis. Some of the Governors like the confusion because possibly, they are benefitting in this atmosphere of insecurity and feeling of being unsafe by our people.
“And some of them, let me say boldly without mincing any words, recruited vigilante groups from neighbouring states into their state security architecture, and then what you see is that the same security vigilante people they recruited turned to be unknown gunmen, also, part of the problem.
“Of course, the Governor of Imo State [Uzodinma], the vigilante he is running is a political outfit that is going after his political opponents. Houses are being burned, people are being killed left, right, and centre …. I am saying that he is fuelling the crisis, and I have evidence to back that.”
Ugochinyere disclosed Ohanaeze Ndigbo plans to hold a meeting to brainstom solutions to the insecurity and economic lull in the South East.
“Lawmakers in the South East are [also] working together, especially at the House of Representatives, where we have started meeting on how to form a common position in tackling all these challenges.”
He said the meeting will discussions how to promote inclusion, security, and economic growth to ensure peace and progress in the zone.
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Plans to meet with Tinubu on Kanu’s release
Ugochinyere also spoke about plans to meet with President Bola Tinubu to demand the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, who is being detained in violation of an order of the Court of Appeal.
“I think that meeting the President is very important. Our Governors, our lawmakers, captains of industry and business men and all the different socio-cultural interest groups, it’s very, very important, I agree to that.”
He said the meeting will be a follow up to Mbazulike Amaechi’s visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari when he was in office.
“This visit is also important for other areas that need to be sorted out before you go into the full discussion of letting him go home. Because it’s not just letting him go home, there are other conversations that are also going to be [held].
“The things that led to the agitation are the issues of marginalisation, unfair treatment, the lack of integration and full acceptance. And the issues that led to the insecurity are all rooted in equity, fairness and justice.
“So, in trying to solve the problem, we have to now say, okay, how do we build bridges of unity? How do we have a Nigeria that every component part will feel included?
“That inclusiveness is very important, because the feeling of exclusion is fuelling the agitation. The feeling of exclusion is fuelling the belief that separation is the only way to have a solution.”
