Abia2023: RE-COMMUNIQUE BY OLD BENDE STAKEHOLDERS

My attention has been drawn to a recent publication, flying around in some social media platforms, purported to be the communique issued by Old Bende Stakeholders after a meeting they claimed they held on the 16th of April, 2022 at Bordex Court, Abiriba, Ohafia LGA.

While I have nothing against any select group of persons coming together to discuss what they feel are our political problems, I am concerned about that part of their statement which decided to garnish their resolutions with a subtle threat, considering this era of precarious security.

While many of their points are not unpopular in Abia North, of critical concern are the contents of paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 of their submission where they repressively attempted to usurp the political rights of other citizens, by ordering them not to freely participate in the democratic process based on their convictions. This cannot be right.

Paragraph 9 specifically should remind us of the dilemma of the Sit-At-Home Order issued earlier by the IPOB in the South East. Even when IPOB saw the negative implications of the Order and reversed it, other faceless forces have since highjacked it, out of the control of IPOB, and have continued to enforce it, violently, to date, to the compunction of the initiators. The implications of this paragraph 9 can unfortunately stretch to stimulate violence against persons with contrary political views in the district, by other faceless forces, beyond the intendment of those issuing it now. It is even more apprehensive when those behind the statement preferred not to disclose their names and addresses, forcing every well-meaning citizen to become suspicious of their motive.

It is therefore necessary for security agencies to identify those behind the write-up and place them on their security watchlist with the consequence of holding them responsible if anything untoward happens to anyone in Abia North who has a contrary political belief at this particular point in time. It is also necessary for leaders to mind the kind of statements they make when dissatisfied with a situation but to always advocate the celestial path of dialogue.

Sensitive democratic problems require honest engagements by all parties, considering and involving both immediate and long-term solutions, guided by a true belief in the spirit of give and take, and trusting that, either way, eight years is too short for any block to opt for vehemence. The threat of violence implied in that statement through the purported setting in motion of a machinery to sanction anybody with a contrary view cannot be said to represent the position of the good people of Abia North and should therefore be withdrawn.

Consultations and conversations concerning who flies the PDP governorship flag in 2023 are still on-going in different circles in line with the INEC time table and require the involvement of credible personalities. Whatever is the outcome at the end of the day, I do not believe that it would warrant any iota of violence nor will it worth the loss of any life, in any part of the divide.

What we should be praying for and working towards is the emergence of the best candidate, who will win the general election, and truly develop Abia state for the good of us all. I believe we can achieve that without threatening each other or creating avoidable security problems for our children.

In the time being, let the political conversation continue in earnest like brothers and sisters who have a common destiny; and let every citizen be free to express himself or herself based on their partisan convictions even when considered opposing or unpopular.

That is the beauty of democracy.

Chief Okafo Okoreaffia PhD JP ficp

(Osisioma na-ami mkpuru oma)

Ututu, Arochukwu LGA

Abia State

18th April, 2022.