The Senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe has called for an end to the enforcement of sit-at-home in the South East, saying that the exercise is strangulating the zone economically and scaring prospective investors away.
Abaribe who gave the advice in Umuahia while featuring on Flo 94.9 FM’s program, ‘South East Political Roundtable’, said that enforcement of sit-at-home was no longer necessary, as according to him, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, had already called for its suspension.
The five-time Senator, who was also the Deputy Governor of Abia State, regretted that the South East economy had lost about N7 trillion since the inception of sit-at-home home crisis, regretted that some businessmen in the zone are contemplating relocating their investments to the places like Ikot Ekpene, in Akwa Ibom State, and other areas.
He disclosed that Kanu personally spoke to him (Abaribe) and some other Igbo leaders during their visit to him at the Department of State Service, DSS, detention facility.
According to him, Kanu said he never ordered anybody to molest anyone on his behalf, in the name of sit-at-home.
The Abia South Senator also frowned at Finland-based Simon Ekpa for threatening former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, because he aired his opinion on the Biafra agitation strategy, noting that he (Abaribe) can not be intimidated by anyone for saying his mind.
While acknowledging that Igbos are being marginalized in the scheme of things in Nigeria, Senator Abaribe said the situation was not enough for some persons to wedge a war against there own people under any guise.
He also faulted President Bola Tinubu for making lopsided ministerial appointments in favour of other five geopolitical zones, and called on the National Assembly to look into the anomaly.
The APGA Senator, who observed that the South East got only five ministerial slots, noted that President Bola Tinubu increased the constitutionally recommended slots for the other geopolitical zones in the country.
He noted that the President is repeating the appointment style of former President Muhammadu Buhari, by allocating critical positions to the South West geopolitical region.
Abaribe however, challenged the people of South East to build political coalitions beyond the zone if they hope to get the Presidency, saying that Peter Obi has proved a point that the Igbos could get Aso Rock with what he termed ‘beyond -a-zone coalition’.
“Nobody gives you the Presidency. You fight for the Presidency, You build coalition, you build relationship . You build movement.
“Nobody will have pity on you, because power is not served,” Abaribe advised.
The former Abia Deputy Governor disclosed that the South East Caucus in the National Assembly has agreed to work together for the interests of the people.
He assured that the agreement would produce good results for the zone.
