The South-East Legislators Forum, comprising members of State Houses of Assembly from the South-East geopolitical zone, has commended the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, for his efforts in establishing the South-East Development Commission (SEDC).
The Forum, led by the Majority Leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Kingsley Ikoro, gave the commendation during a solidarity visit to Kalu in Abuja, acknowledging his role as the political leader of the South-East region.
He said: “In the political setting today, you are our leader. You are the leader of Ndi-Igbo. We came to pay a solidarity visit and pledge our homage and said that we are all legislators, members of the State Houses of Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo States.”
Responding, Kalu expressed gratitude for the visit and emphasised the importance of unity and synergy among political leaders in the region.
He encouraged the lawmakers to support the SEDC and the administration of President Bola Tinubu, stressing that the federal government was committed to the well-being of Ndi Igbo and Nigerians in general.
“The power of networking is more than money. Unity is power. We hardly recognize our own and we lose a lot of things because of it. We need to end the sit-at-home, people are destroying themselves. We need to come to together. The power of unity, the power of growth is important.
“I want to also commend you for leaving your various Houses of Assembly to come to the Federal House for exposure. It will help you. The benefits are many. It will make your legislative activities to be robust. It will help you to speak from the point of knowledge.
“I also want to thank you for showing interest in the Constitution amendment. We can’t do it alone. I am sure when you sell the issues coming from the federal to the people, they will embrace it.
“On the proposed zonal public hearing, we will want you to support what we are doing in the process of amending the Constitution. We are thinking of starting in the first and second quarter of next year.
“As members of the South East legislative forum, you need to be strong and have a common legislative agenda. Birth an idea and think of how we can utilise it.
“And that is why I want you to support the SEDC. Some people have said that the President said he wasn’t going to do it. They abandoned the 3Rs. Let’s support the president. We will build capacity. We will have regional town hall meeting for all members to sit and discuss what we will do. One of the things that is paramount is security. Let’s develop agriculture, infrastructure, energy, technology amongst others,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker also revealed ongoing efforts to secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), expressing optimism that the outcome of these efforts will soon materialize.
“I am fighting for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to come out. Very soon, it will happen. Please, keep us in your prayers,” Kalu told the South-East State lawmakers.