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Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has dissociated himself from separatist agitation successful the South-East, insisting that the region’s advancement and prosperity are intrinsically tied to its unity wrong the Nigerian federation.
Speaking connected Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, the erstwhile Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor clarified that portion helium supports peaceful dialog and the close to protest, helium does not stock the secessionist ideology espoused by the person of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
“We’ve made it precise wide that if you are protesting oregon agitating for anything, you are holding yourself down by sidesplitting your ain radical nether the pretext of Monday’s sit-at-home,” Soludo said.
He explained that the arguable sit-at-home bid has mostly mislaid traction successful Anambra, attributing the alteration to improved information and nationalist awareness.
“Anybody sitting astatine location present is doing truthful retired of his ain preference, not due to the fact that of insecurity, arsenic it were, due to the fact that everyplace is unafraid connected Mondays,” helium noted.
Soludo acknowledged that the IPOB leadership, including Kanu himself, had repeatedly disowned the sit-at-home directive, blaming transgression elements for exploiting it to unleash panic successful the region.
“Even Nnamdi Kanu himself and his IPOB are connected grounds to person said they did not enactment the Monday sit-at-home; it was immoderate transgression elements doing that. And we convey them for their work,” helium added.
While affirming his respect for antiauthoritarian freedoms, Soludo maintained that his work remains governance, not activism.
“As for those who are agitating oregon going to person demonstrations, they person a close to bash so. In a democracy, everybody has state of expression. But excavation is to govern. While societal activists bash their job, I volition bash my own,” helium stated.
The politician further revealed that helium had urged the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and different South-East leaders to prosecute Kanu successful dialog upon his release, noting that the aboriginal of the portion should beryllium shaped collectively, not dictated by immoderate azygous individual.
“I said, wherefore don’t they archer Nnamdi Kanu to travel and beryllium with everybody else, due to the fact that cipher has a greater close than the other? We are each Igbos, and we are each entitled to our views,” helium said.
Reaffirming his content successful the unity and interdependence of Nigeria’s divers taste groups, Soludo said the Igbo radical basal to summation much wrong a agreed Nigeria.
“I americium of the presumption that the Igbo antheral needs Nigeria and Nigeria needs the Igbo man. The Igbo antheral needs Africa, and Africa needs the Igbo man. We are an itinerant radical who cannot spend to beryllium intolerant. That’s my view,” helium declared.
He added that Nigeria’s diverseness was divinely ordained, urging the South-East to clasp practice and integration.
“Do we request Nigeria? Absolutely! And Nigeria needs us. That is my precise heavy belief. I canvass it with nary apologies and clasp connected to that. I’m prepared to statement this with anyone connected the aboriginal prosperity of the Igbos,” helium maintained.
Soludo’s remarks travel amid renewed nationwide calls for the merchandise of Nnamdi Kanu from detention.
The campaign—tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow—has drawn the enactment of respective absorption figures, including erstwhile Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and activistic Omoyele Sowore, who person announced plans for a peaceful protestation successful Abuja connected October 20.
The station Soludo distances aforesaid from Biafra agitation, says Igbo advancement lies successful Nigeria’s unity appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.
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