The Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Chinedum Orji has urged aggrieved people of Umuelendu Community of Obingwa LGA to seek the intervention of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in their land agitation.
Hon Orji gave the directive on Monday, in Umuahia, while receiving a group of protesters from the community who came to the House to protest alleged takeover of their land by the Abia State Government.
The protesters in their address read by their leader, Mr Okechukwu Sunday, had told the speaker that they embarked on the protest because of ill treatment meted to them by the Abia State Government.
They demanded that reason should prevail against the selfish interest of few individuals who want to take over their land, adding that they don’t have enough land, even when they have they also have many children.
But the Speaker who commended them for their peaceful conduct during the protest, faulted their choice of the assembly complex, admonishing them to channel their grievances to Ikpeazu, who is their kinsman.
According to the speaker, “I believe that you people are from Obingwa local government area and the governor of the state is from your community. The Governor is your brother. He is from from Obingwa like you.
The speaker educated them that it was a failure on their side not to have followed the appropriate channel for the protest, which was to send a representative to the governor, who according to the speaker is a listening governor.
In another development, the House of Assembly during its plenary same day mandated the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to take special interest in the problems between herdsmen and farmers in Umunneochi Local Governmnet Area of the state, with a view of providing a lasting solution.
The order was in response to a report by the representative of Umunneochi constituency, Hon. Okey Igwe who had raised alarm on the ugly activities of some herdsmen in his constituency.
