The Deputy Speaker urges unidentified gunmen in the South East to lay down their weapons and engage in negotiations with the Nigerian government.

 The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Benjamin Kalu, has advised gunmen in the South East to leave their hiding places, surrender their weapons, and engage in negotiations with the Federal government for better job opportunities and a promising future. 

This recommendation was made during an All Progressives Congress stakeholders' meeting in Bende, where he also launched a Food-For-Peace Program to address hunger in the region.

Kalu expressed concern about the economic impact of sit-at-home actions in parts of the South East, attributing the departure of many South East investors to the resulting destruction of the regional economy. 

He criticized the actions of unknown gunmen, stating that resorting to violence was detrimental to the South East's economy and overall development.

While acknowledging President Bola Tinubu's fairness in appointments and developmental programs for the South East, Kalu urged agitators in the region, especially those operating from the bush, to abandon violence and embrace the Federal Government's call for peace through the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P).

Highlighting Tinubu's contributions to the Igbo nation, including key appointments such as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minister of Works, and Chief of Naval Staff, Kalu emphasized the need for total support for Tinubu in his current and future political endeavors.

 Additionally, Kalu expressed his interest in the release of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, suggesting that dropping guns and embracing peace could expedite Kanu's release, while cautioning against the ineffective strategy of sit-at-home actions.

"Do not hold Tinubu responsible for Nnamdi Kanu's imprisonment. Why punish him for something he didn't do? Stay calm, surrender your weapons to security agencies, as the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P) aims to provide job opportunities for you," advised the Deputy Speaker to the unidentified gunmen.

 He recounted the destruction of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign office he established in Abia State, which faced over 200 bullets fired by gunmen before the 2023 general election.

Despite this, the Deputy Speaker expressed satisfaction with the positive outcomes of PISE-P, contributing to relative peace in the South East during the Yuletide. He emphasized the importance of social cohesion between Ndigbo and other tribes for the region's development.

At the stakeholders' meeting, approximately 25 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the constituency switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC).