A distinguished elder statesman of Igbo extraction and Chairman Ohanaeze Ndigbo Council of Elders, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has made a passionate appeal to the people of Anambra state to allow the November 6, Governorship election to hold peacefully.
Chief Iwuanyanwu who made the appeal in his capacity as the Chairman, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Council of Elders said if the Saturday November 6 election is disrupted, the people of Anambra State and indeed Ndigbo will be the losers.
He said that the success of the election is very vital and crucial to the people of Anambra State and Ndigbo in general.
Chief Iwuanyanwu observed that Anambra state is a cradle of development and achievements in education, politics, industry, commerce and religion, pointing out that Onitsha was the first port of call in 1857,when the white missionaries came to Igboland. He also said that Anambra has produced such great men like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who blazed the trail of Nigeria Independence, his Excellency Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu who was his boss, the former Vice President of Nigeria Dr. Alex Ekwueme, the first African Elected Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the great Nigerian holder of Ph.D in Mathematics Professor Chike Obi, First Nigerian Vice Chancellor of Nigerian University Professor Kenneth Dike, the first Indegenous Vehicle manufacturing company – Innoson owned by Chief Innocent Maduka as well as the first Nigerian, Saint Blessed Michael Iweme Tansi among others. He said that all these heroes left legacies that showcased Ndigbo and Anambra people as great people and appealed that the present generation should not destroy the legacies they left behind.
Chief Iwuanyanwu said that in terms of Industry and economy Anambra is a leading state.
The Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo appealed to the youths in Anambra not to shed blood of innocent citizens who will turn out to vote pointing out that those who may lose their lives if there are disturbances are our brothers and sisters.
He said, “we all owe it a duty to our forebears and posterity to avoid any action that could cause bloodshed in Anambra state or any part of Igboland or even in Nigeria”.
Chief Iwuanyanwu who noted that the youths are agitated especially those in Anambra State appealed to them to sheathe their sword and allow peace to reign for the election to hold in the interest of Ndigbo and Anambra state.
He said that he is, with the cooperation of the governments and Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide working on the industrialization programme for South East transforming Igboland into an economy that will create jobs for our youths, produce goods and services to improve our Gross Domestic Product and enhance our contribution toward Gross National Product.
Chief Iwuanyanwu advised the youths in the South East to sheathe their sword within the ambits of law.
He urged all in Anambra to allow the election to hold on November 6, to show the world that this generation of Igbos and youths are determined to preserve the legacies of their forebears and indeed surpass those records.
