SEDC: NDIGBO YOUTH ORGANIZATION COMMEND TINUBU, DISSOCIATES IGBO YOUTHS FROM PROTEST



25th July 2024
PRESS RELEASE
NDIGBO YOUTHS’ ORGANIZATION COMMENDS PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU FOR SIGNING THE SOUTH EAST DEVELOPMENT (SEDC) BILL INTO LAW
COUNT THE IGBO YOUTHS OUT OF THE PLANNED NATIONWIDE PROTEST
The Leadership of Ndigbo Youths’ Organization, on behalf of her over fifteen million Igbo Youths worldwide is pleased to commend Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for signing into law, by his ascent to the South East development Commission Bill on Wednesday, 24th July 2024, and by this act of statesmanship, the President has taken a step towards the genuine reconciliation, rehabilitation and re-integration of the South East into the national scheme of affairs in Nigeria.
It should be noted that the South east Development Commission Bill was nurtured and birthed by the leadership of the Southeast caucus in the 8th National Assembly, and sponsored in the chambers of the House of Reps by Rep. Prince Chukwuka Onyema (Deputy Minority Leader and member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency) and in the red chamber of the Senate by Senator (Princess) Stella Oduah (representing Anambra Noprth Senatorial District), however this groundbreaking achievement would not have been possible without the tireless efforts, commitment and dedication of Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu (Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps and Leader of the Southeast caucus) who reinvented the Bill and ensured it scaled through all the legislative procedures.
The significance of the South East Development Commission Act cannot be over-emphasized as it is a vital step towards addressing the region’s infrastructural development challenges by catalyzing a speedy and all-encompassing infrastructural development of the Southeast region and therefore promote economic growth and stability within the region.
While thanking Mr. President for this bold step, we urge him to ensure an accelerated implementation by putting in place the necessary framework for a speedy take-off of the Commission, as we look forward to the benefits and positive impacts of the commission on the Southeast region. Let me also use this medium to address the issue of the planned nationwide protest, and state categorically that Ndigbo Youths are not part of this protest.
It is altruism that things are terribly bad in the country, ranging from insecurity to economic hardship with inflation rate jumping to an all-time highest level of about 37%, but I dare say that Ndigbo Youths will not be part of the protest.
The reason is simple, over the years, Ndigbo as a nation has suffered the greatest injustice in this country, especially the refusal to give an Igbo man opportunity to lead this country. Consequently, Ndigbo had long been government unto themselves, providing for themselves what government was meant to provide for them, from road infrastructure to electricity, water and health. So we are saying “Good Morning to the other nations of Nigeria”.
Conversely, we call on President Bola Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, address the entire nation with a view to addressing the issue of the planned protest and laying it to rest with an assurance of hope that things will get better in the nearest future. Justice is justice when it is not only said to be done, but seen to have been done.
A stich in time saves nine….
Comrade Igwe Patrick Afubera
Secretary-General