BY NATIONAL PANEL REPORTERS
Stakeholders in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi have restated commitment to peace, security and development of the area.
The stakeholders comprising elected and appointed political office holders as well as traditional rulers and community leaders stated this at an enlarged stakeholders meeting held recently at Isiaka, Ivo council headquarters.
The outcome is contained in a statement issued by Mr Ebi Ajali, media assistant to Chief Onyebuchi Ogbadu, Executive Chairman of Ivo LGA, a copy was made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abakaliki.
According to the statement, the stakeholders expressed gratitude to both the state government and Ivo local government administration for working hard in restoring peace to once crisis ridden council.
The stakeholders however decried recent escalation of violence in Akaeze community which led to deaths and destruction of property and vowed to collaborate to stem further disruption of peace and security in the council.
The leaders further condemned what they described as the 'misrepresentation' of facts by people who sought to create their own version of the story of the crisis either for political gains or to satisfy their paymasters.
The stakeholders also accused some section of media of biased and sensational reportage of the Akaeze January crisis saying that some conventional media copied their reports from unconfirmed social media source.
"We express our utmost gratitude to our peace loving governor, Chief Dave Umahi who upon assumption of office in 2015 threw his hat in the ring, restored and sustained peace in the crisis ridden Ivo LGA which is the peace we are enjoying till date.
"That we extol the exceptional leadership qualities of the council chairman which began manifesting when he held sway as Coordinator of Akaeze Development Centre.
"He has deployed this rare leadership trait in ensuring that peace and security are sustained in all the communities that make up the council.
"It is in recognition of the critical role played by the chairman in maintaining peace, security and development of our LGA that Ishiagu community bestowed on him the prestigious Omeudo 1 of Ishiagu Kingdom," the statement read.
The stakeholders warned of dire consequences to anyone or group working to create tension and truncate the existing peace enjoyed in the area.
"We further condemn in strong terms the avoidable and unnecessary destruction of lives and property in Akeze community by suspected men of the underworld who were allegedly paid to hijack a peaceful demonstration by youths of the community.
"Those in diaspora and within the community spending heavily to destabilise the existing peace in the community and the entire LGA should know that the law of karma is real as everyone gets what he or she deserves," it added.
The stakeholders commended Ebube Agu security outfit, Ivo Command for the tremendous work it was doing in securing the area against dangerous crime and criminality.
On the ongoing nationwide continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise, the leaders expressed their resolve to partner INEC to improve the exercise in the area by working through a committee set up at the state, local and ward levels.
