Senate President says peace and dialogue remain the only viable path to development, reiterates push for additional state in the region

By Ifeoma Onyekachi

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called on leaders in the South-East to take a more active role in guiding young people away from violence, warning that armed confrontation with the Nigerian state would only deepen the region’s challenges.

Akpabio made the remarks during the funeral of Sir Albert Ikechukwu Nnamani, a former Administrative Secretary of the defunct Oil Mineral Producing Area Development Commission (OMPADEC), in Ikem, Enugu State.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the Senate President stressed that sustainable development can only take root in a peaceful environment, urging Ndigbo to prioritise mentorship and constructive political engagement.

He cautioned that attempts to pursue political goals through armed struggle would ultimately fail, noting that state authority would always prevail in such conflicts. According to him, meaningful progress for the South-East lies in negotiation and democratic processes.

Akpabio also reaffirmed the National Assembly’s willingness to address longstanding concerns about equity in the region, including the demand for the creation of an additional state to bring the South-East in line with other geopolitical zones.

“We are prepared as a parliament to make the right laws… so that Ndigbo can have at least an additional state,” he said, pledging legislative support for greater balance in Nigeria’s federal structure.

The Senate President further highlighted the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to inclusiveness, arguing that concerns about marginalisation were being addressed through appointments and policy decisions. He emphasised, however, that such gains must be pursued through dialogue rather than confrontation.

Expressing concern over the economic consequences of the sit-at-home order in parts of the South-East, Akpabio lamented its impact on commerce, particularly in major trading hubs like Onitsha. He noted that the disruption runs contrary to the region’s longstanding reputation for enterprise and resilience.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War, he pointed to what he described as incomplete post-war reconstruction in the South-East and South-South, arguing that while reconciliation efforts were made, critical infrastructure rebuilding was neglected.

He urged the region to avoid repeating past mistakes, warning against losing another generation to what he described as “wrong politics and wrong advice.”

Paying tribute to the late Nnamani, Akpabio described him as a diligent public servant whose tenure at OMPADEC helped lay the groundwork for development initiatives in the Niger Delta.