By Gabriel Atumeyi
365Daily – Former Governor of Anambra state and the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 General Elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed disbelief and disappointment on the reported attack on school children in Anambra State over their failure to comply with IPOB sit-at-home order, describing it as ‘un-Igbo, out of place and misguided aggression,” while calling for swift investigation into the incident.
Obi said it is quite perplexing judging against the fact that IPOB had issued countless press releases suspending the Monday sit-at-home and therefore could not logically be responsible for the attack.
Obi made this known on Tuesday at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos when some journalists sought his view on the incident.
He said he did not believe any Igbo man should contemplate attacking innocent school children, more so those taking their WAEC exams, to compete with the rest of West Africans over academic excellence, adding that education should ideally be treated as something “sacred’, because it is not just about the future of the children, but also the future of the society.
According to him, based on his observations there is need for proper investigations to unravel those behind the attack.
“Since IPOB has announced suspension of sit-at-home, it is reasonable to suspect that other forces might be hiding behind IPOB to draw back the South-East through such acts as well as the needless call for stay at home on Mondays, a critical day for business/official work, which is only hurting the economy of the South-East.”
Speaking on the state of insecurity in the South-East, Obi said: “Would investors come to the zone under the present condition? Would established businesses not think of leaving the South-East under such a condition? Would traders from neighbouring countries that flock Aba and Onitsha on Mondays not seek and stick with alternatives? Would some industries not think of re-locating?”
Obi further called on political leaders to further strengthen their collective engagements with the view to charting the best path for the South-East.