The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged the Igbo people to reject armed struggle and instead pursue development through peace and negotiation. Speaking at the burial of former Oil Mineral Producing Area Development Commission (OMPADEC) Administrative Secretary Sir Albert Ikechukwu Nnamani in Ikem, Enugu State, Akpabio emphasized that development can only thrive in a peaceful environment. He warned that any attempt by the youth to seize power or demand independence through violence would be overwhelmed by state power. Akpabio assured that the National Assembly is willing to amend laws to create at least one additional state for the Igbo, to ensure equitable representation among Nigeria's geopolitical zones. He credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration with making efforts to end marginalization of the Igbo, particularly in federal appointments. Akpabio stressed that all demands should be pursued through dialogue, not disruption. He criticized the ongoing "sit at home" orders in the region, stating they have severely damaged the economy of Onitsha and the wider Igbo community. Recalling post-civil war history, Akpabio pointed out that while reconciliation and rehabilitation followed the Biafra conflict, reconstruction was never carried out in the South East and South-South, unlike in other parts of the country. He said this omission was a missed opportunity and expressed discomfort among some former leaders in attendance over his remarks. Akpabio concluded by calling for justice for the Igbo people within their lifetime and paid tribute to Nnamani, praising his integrity and role in setting a foundation for Niger Delta development. He noted that before Nnamani's tenure, unfulfilled federal promises led to pipeline vandalism, but those days are now past.
Akpabio demands justice for the Igbo while serving a government that has not delivered the promised additional state. His criticism of sit-at-home orders rings hollow given the state's failure to address the underlying grievances fueling them. Peace cannot be one-sided when reconstruction remains absent decades after war.
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