Gov. Alex Otti of Abia State, has said that his administration is not interested in going into unnecessary confrontation with the promoters of the May 30 sit- at- home in honour of those killed during the Nigeria civil war.
The Governor who spoke with Vanguard in Umuahia, said that people had right to mourn their dead ones.
Gov. Otti who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, said that Government was in touch with schools to ensure that students currently sitting for the West African Examination Council, WAEC, exams in the state were not adversely affected.
He said that Government was engaging with all the actors to ensure that the academic interest of the WAEC candidates were not hurt.
He said:” Government is in touch with all the schools affected to see what could be done so that WAEC exams are not disrupted. We are in touch with schools on how to handle the situation.
” We are not interested in unnecessary confrontation with the people who are appealing for sit- at-home in honour of their dead ones. They have every right to mourn their own especially going by the history of that war.
” It’s something we shouldn’t politicise. It was an emotional period when we remember the genocidal onslaught. We don’t have any interest confronting those who are asking people to observe that moment of honour for those who were victims of the genocidal war.
” It’s something we are handling with wisdom and diplomacy. We are engaging with all the actors that are involved. We are putting measures in place that Government may not want to make public.
” The most important thing is to see what we can do to ensure that students write their exams. There are things we don’t want to disclose. But be assured that we are putting measures in place to ensure there is peace in Abia State “.
