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We Won’t Return To Militancy, IYC Tells Asari Dokubo …Urges Buhari To Sustain Peace In N’Delta
L-R: NYSC Coordinator in Rivers State, Mrs Ngozi Nwatarali, Director-General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi and Commander, 2 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Koko Essien, during the Director-General’s pre-election advocacy tour to 2 Brigade in Port Harcourt, yesterday
The Ijaw Youth Council (Worldwide) yesterday distanced itself from the threats by an ex-militant leader, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, that Niger Delta militants might return to the creeks to protest against the defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan in the presidential election.
IYC, however, said it would cooperate with and closely monitor the incoming administration of Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.) to “see their (its) dance steps.”
The President of IYC, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, made the clarifications in Abuja after reading a communique issued at the end of its meeting held at Tuomo community in Delta State to review the outcome of the March 28, 2015 Presidential election.
He also expressed sadness over what he described as the deliberate efforts by the core North and a section of the South-West “to frustrate the administration of Jonathan and force him out of power through false media propaganda and insurgency in the North in connivance with some foreign countries.”
Eradiri accused the unnamed foreign countries of displaying “obvious bias during the electoral process.”
He added, “The Ijaw nation, satisfied with the performance and conduct of President Jonathan in office, will warmly welcome him back home from national service.”
Dokubo-Asari, leader of Niger-Delta Peoples Volunteers Force, had in a statement by his spokesperson, Mr. Rex Anighoro, said the voting pattern showed that the South-West and the North “ganged up” against the South-South and South-East geo-political zones.
The ex-Niger Delta warlord believed it was unfair that the minorities were being emasculated by the majority ethnic groups.
But Eradiri said the NDPVF founder was an individual like any other Nigerian, who had a right to his views.
He said, “Well, Alhaji Dokubo-Asari is an individual, who has a right to his views. Being a leader in the Niger-Delta, he may be saying things based on the way he sees it. The fact that we have also taken a decision does not mean that other structures or individuals will not make one or two comments as a result of immediate reactions to the way the Presidential election went.
“But the institution that leads the organisation, we, the youths of Niger Delta, have made our position. Every other person may look at it in their own way, but we have decided to look at Buhari’s administration and see how it will go and we will know the steps to take.
“We don’t have any plan for violence and returning to the creeks. Ijaw and Niger Delta youths should be calm, peaceful and maintain the existing peace in the Niger Delta region.”
Meanwhile, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) yesterday called on the President-elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, to sustain the existing peace in the Niger Delta, to increase oil production.
This advice was handed down by the President of the council, Mr Udengs Eradiri, at a news conference in Abuja.
According to Eradiri, the existing peace could be maintained if the incoming administration sustained the Presidential Amnesty Programme for former agitators in the region.
“The Presidential Amnesty Programme for Ex-Agitators in the Niger-Delta region, which has greatly contributed to the sustenance of peace in the Niger-Delta region, should be sustained by the incoming administration.
“President Jonathan’s extra-ordinary peace building efforts in the Niger-Delta region is responsible for the resultant increase in oil production and increased oil revenue,” Eradiri said.
The Ijaw youth leader urged the incoming government to fund and strengthen the existing federal structures set up to develop the Niger-Delta region such as the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Niger-Delta Ministry.
“The incoming administration should address the problems of environmental degradation in the Niger-Delta region, including implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoni.
“It should also address the general environmental remediation in other parts of the region which are affected by environmental degradation,” Eradiri said.
He further advised that the recommendations of the National Confab should be implemented by the incoming government to deepen the federal system of government where the federating units will develop at their own pace.
According to him, the confab recommendations would address some of the imbalances responsible for political instability in Nigeria and the desperation to control government at the centre.
He also asked the incoming federal administration to start the process of national integration and run an all-inclusive government, to address the polarisation and disunity arising from the outcome of the presidential elections.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.