Ekweremadu advises IPoB, MASSOB on sit-at-home order

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremmadu, has advised that the sit-at-home order declared by some right groups in South-East for May 30 should be optional.

The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPoB) and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) had called on citizens of SouthEast to stay at home on May 30 to observe their anniversary.

Ekweremmadu gave the advice on Sunday at an Interdenominational church service at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Abakaliki, to commemorate 2017 Democracy Day and Gov. David Umahi’s second year in office.

He said while the agitation and concerns of the groups are genuine, they should not be pursued with force or other forms of armed struggle.

“Individuals who operate private businesses and want to stay-at-home on that day should stay, while those who want to operate their businesses should be allowed to do so.

“I believe that civil and public workers should be ready to go to work on that day as I appeal that no group should force people to stay at home against their wishes,” he added.

The deputy senate president called on the agitators to embrace dialogue and constructive engagement in pursuing their agitation; not coercion or other forms of armed struggle.

Ekweremadu congratulated the people of Ebonyi on the second year in office of their governor.

In his remark, Umahi noted that no individual or group would force the citizens of the state to stay-at-home on May 30.

“I have met the leadership of these groups on various occasions and discovered that most of their agitations are correct but the ways they seek to actualise them can be faulted,” he said.

In his homily, Rev. Fr Abraham Nwali urged political and economic leaders in the state to build industries instead of embarking on ‘nondirect-impact’ projects such as hotels. (NAN)