Following threats by several Niger Delta groups to shut down the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and flow sections in the region, the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) Worldwide, has urged Nigerians not to worry as it will not allow such to happen.
Barr. Roland Pereotubo Oweilaemi, President, IYC worldwide, in a statement made available to NEXT EDITION on Tuesday, maintained that there was no cause for alarm, describing those who issued the threats as miscreants.
He stressed: “FG should not listen to the ranting of those noise makers masquerading as a factional IYC. In the first place, IYC has no faction. Whoever is parading himself as the President of the council is an impostor. As far as the Ijaw nation is concerned, I am the only president of the council.
“As for the threat to shut down the commission’s head office in Port Harcourt by those sponsored agent provocateurs, we wish to reiterate our earlier stand that the threat did not emanate from IYC national executive, neither from any of its organs.
“We warn that political hustlers should not hide under the popularity of the council to propagate their racketeering business.”
On the interim board, Barrister Oweilaemi maintained that the IYC would not blame Chief Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, since the presidency has said it was President Muhammadu Buhari that used his prerogative to constitute the interim board.
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The IYC boss said: “Garba Shehu has told the world through Channels TV Sunday Politics that it was Buhari that ordered the appointment of the interim board. Why should we be blaming the innocent man?
“The presidency has also made it clear that the interim board will midwife the period the forensic audit is to be carried out. Those holding grudges against the process should channel their questions to Mr. President, who is doing everything possible to sanitise the hitherto corrupt NDDC, which politicians used as a conduit to pilfer away our common patrimony.
“Mr. President in his wisdom has decided that an interim board should be constituted pending when the substantive board is inaugurated for the purpose of facilitating the forensic audit. We see nothing wrong in that decision.
“Political opportunists should allow the government to do what is right for the benefit of the region. Niger Delta region is underdeveloped because our leaders in authorities have refused to make judicious use of the resources in their possessions.
“Where were these IYC impostors or self-acclaimed civil society groups when Delta Ijaws had been denied of the NDDC board appointments? Did they lose their voices when Oweilaemi was fighting for the Ijaws in Delta State?”
