Senators and members of the House of Representatives have expressed dismay over what they described as high level of marginalisation of the Igbo by the present administration, and asked President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency address it.

Rising from a meeting in Abuja, the South East Caucus of the National Assembly said that the only way to end the agitations in the South East geo-political zone of the country and other zones of the country, was to put an end to marginalisation in the areas of appointments, as well as ensuring that people were carried along in the scheme of things.

In a communique jointly signed by both the chairman, Senate South-East Caucus and that of the House of Representatives, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and Hon. Chukwuka Onyema respectively, the South-East lawmakers called on the leadership and members of IPOB to cease fire, to enable them explore political solutions to the ongoing face-off.

The communique reads in part: “We call on IPOB to suspend all its activities as we engage our colleagues in the National Assembly and work with them in addressing all issues of concern to IPOB in particular and the entire South East in general.

“We appreciate the efforts of the South East Governors and the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the handling of the agitations in the South East with regards to the confrontations of the military with IPOB, especially in Abia State.

“We condemn all acts of terrorism. In the case of IPOB, we reject the branding of any organisation in Nigeria without cause or following due process where such cause do exist.

“We take this position because of the implication of such branding to innocent citizens from the area who may be affected by the consequences. This branding, we believe, will foreclose any dialogue that will bring about a peaceful end to the activities of such group.

“We call on the leadership of Nigeria to look into the problem that feed never ending agitations by youths of the South East and other geopolitical zones of the country. “We condemn the use of hate speeches and remarks by anybody, as the dignity of humans must be respected at all times, even while dissenting on any issue.

“We affirm our support for the unity of Nigeria anchored on justice, equality and fair treatment on all parts of the country.”

•Excerpted from a Vanguard report.