Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, on Wednesday urged the people of the South-East to refrain from participating in planned anti-government protests. This appeal follows President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill into law.
Kalu emphasized that President Tinubu’s action demonstrates a commitment to addressing the historical and ecological challenges faced by the South-East. The newly signed bill aims to tackle environmental issues and infrastructural damages in the region, many of which stem from the civil war.
“To my fellow South-Easterners, I implore you not to join the planned looming anti-government protests,” Kalu stated during a press briefing in Abuja. “Instead, let us view the signing of the SEDC bill into law as a testament to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s resolve to heal the wounds of the past, bury the rumors of the ‘marginalization of the Southeast geopolitical zone,’ and renew the hope of the nation towards equitable economic growth and socio-cultural renewal. This is a time for unity and progress, not division and unrest.”
Kalu also called on all Nigerians to trust in the current administration’s reforms, which he assured would take time but ultimately lead to positive outcomes such as reduced inflation, economic stabilization, industrialization, and significant employment growth.
“The reforms of the current administration will take time but will soon start to suffice, including a reversal of inflation, stabilization of the economy, and the ensuing multiplier effects in a massive employment boom as a result of industrialization, and the outcomes of the work organizations like the SEDC will engineer,” Kalu added.
