The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ijaw Youths Council

  • Eradiri to Diri: leave Ijaw out of your political interest, fight with Wike

    Eradiri to Diri: leave Ijaw out of your political interest, fight with Wike

    A former president of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, has told the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, to stop dragging the entire Ijaw nation into his fight for political survival in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Eradiri, a former governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Bayelsa, said Diri should go and grind his political axe with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, and stop making it look like the Ijaw was at war with Wike.

    He said it was unfortunate that the likes of Diri were attempting to drag the entire ethnic group into political fight.

    Eradiri, a former Commissioner for Youths and later Environment in Bayelsa clarified that he was neither a Wike’s man nor looking for the Minister’s endorsement, recalling that he tried to get Wike’s nod as a candidate of the LP during the last governorship election in Bayelsa, but that some persons around the Minister blocked him.

    He said: “I guess it was the game at the time because a Wike’s endorsement would have perhaps made the outcome of the governorship election different as evident his support led to the victory of Douye diri because if not for the cancellation of Chief Timipre Sylva’s stronghold made possible by Wike’s support things would have been different.

    “This is why I am talking about the hypocrisy in display today. When Douye Diri, ‘Governor-General of the Ijaw Nation’, went down to kneel down for Wike to collect power he used in ijawland to win Sylva and myself where was the Ijaw pride they so profess today?”

    Eradiri queried the whereabouts of today’s so-called Ijaw lovers, when Wike splashed N5bn on the dilapidated Law School in Yenagoa, which was abandoned by those claiming to love Ijaw more than others.

    He asked those fighting Wike to take a trip to Port Harcourt in Rivers and behold the magnificent Law School Wike built in Ikwerre land.

    Eradiri asked persons, who claimed Wike insulted the Ijaw nation to replay the Minister’s statements and judge for themselves without biases if what the Minister said they was not bitter truth.

    Eradiri said: “As usual, our people don’t read or listen. They simply went to the ijaw square to sentence Wike. Without even knowing what the issues were, they jumped into bandwagon of crucification.

    “Lets even ask ourselves, this our ijawness, why is it not in the development and progress of our nation and people? Why always solidarity at war but not for development?

    “Look at Yenagoa, the capital of ijaw nation, like a place where mad people reside replete with abandoned projects courtesy of some ijaw leaders, yet no solidarity is shown for the development , light up and progress of ijaw nation.

    “Our airport is moribund and our schools are a disgrace to education. Young talents are deliberately not encouraged to stardom; jobless youths roam the streets due to visionless leadership; no hope of survival but you are very active for solidarity to fight political battles of those impoverishing them.

    “There are herdsmen in our bushes killing and destroying our crops yet no solidarity to deal with such a menace but same youths can gather against a speech of fact from deputy governor but they cannot gather for their progress but easy to gather against a perceived political enemy?”

    Eradiri said Wike suddenly became an enemy of Ijaw simply because he took the PDP from Douye Diri and his colleague governors.

    “When did ijaw people choose PDP as ijaw party? Diri should go and deal with his issues in PDP and stop dragging ijaw people into what does not concern us”, he said.

    Eradiri insisted that lack of leadership tact on the part of the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, caused the crisis in his state and asked the governor to stop etnicising the impasse.

    He said: “As for Governor Siminalayi Fubara, he is incompetent and that is what has brought all this negative energy. He should not involve ijaw in his political issues and affairs. Let him tell us how he has supported the ijaws or ijaw activities? 

    “How many ijaws of Rivers State did he empower that he is demanding Ijaw support now? How many of the IYC comrades in Eastern zone were LGA chairmen, commissioners and appointees in his government?

    “Or are all the ijaw youths of Eastern Zone only good at supporting political fights but not good enough for appointment and empowerment? When Chief Wike visited Abalama, how much did Fubara mobilise his people? Wike is a fighter and i like his style.

    “I advise Fubara to go and kneel before Wike and beg for forgiveness. Those, who are deceiving him have no balls. They go cap in hand kneeling and begging same Wike when they get it they come in the open to claim ijaw lions.

    “Now, Fubara is the one outside they are there ranting. Mr. President used the state of emergency to save Fubara and the ijaw nation the embarrassment of impeachment. He should go thank and appreciate President Bola Tinubu.”

    Eradiri recalled that when Wike singlehandedly made Fubara Rivers governor, no ijaw gathered or even went to thank him.

    “Fubara did not buy form or even spoke a word during campaigns. Why should he now be disobeying and reneging on agreement? Men are those who keep their words and abide by agreements”, he said.

    Eradiri criticised the way and manner the Ijaw National Congress (INC) handled the Rivers crisis and warned the body against ethnicizing political issues, insisting that the INC brought the Rivers embarrassment on the Ijaw nation.

    He said: “The INC failed to realize that those supporting Wike are ijaws too, Abalama chiefs and youths lined up to welcome Wike, are you saying they are no longer ijaws? George kelly and the numerous ijaw sons empowered by Wike are they not ijaws?

     “INC should not be romancing governors’ egos. The institution is bigger than them and once you belittle the INC before these incompetent governors then the institutions will be ripe for ridicule and insults. Nobody is more ijaw than any other, so INC should protect all interest and stay away from politics. 

    “Non of these governors have empowered ijaw nation more than Wike , the peanuts they give to our platforms cannot be mentioned anywhere as support. Cant you see how Wike developed his people and empowered them? If they want challenge they should brag with their work on ground. Wike’s work is visible for the blind to see even in our ijawland.

    Eradiri said the NDDC Forensic Report revealed that those so-called lovers of ijaw nation looted the commission and stole money meant to develop same ijawland, adding that they got paid for contracts but refused to execute them.

    Read Also: Abe to Diri: stop wasting money on anti-Wike’s rally 

    He said they deliberately underdeveloped the only ijaw state, noting that they collapsed the educational system and resorted to sending their children abroad.

    Eradiri said: “Just look at the Atala Marginal Field, the one owned by ijaw state but taken away from ijaw youths and sold to outsiders by ijaw leaders to the detriment of ijaws. We lost jobs and opportunity for economic growth of the same ijaw nation.

    “See the darkness in ijaw land no power to drive growth, if not for the NDDC led by Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, who is not in their league but they continue to fight to bring him down, all our communities will have still been in darkness at night

    “Please, lets stop ethnicising political issues, Diri and Fubara should go fight their political party battles and leave ijaw nation out of politics. When it favors you you laugh and dance in thanksgiving , when it doesn’t favor you it becomes ijaw affair. Wike is not the ijaw enemy, you people are the real enemies”.

  • Ijaw paid heavy price for PAP’s formation, says IYC

    Ijaw paid heavy price for PAP’s formation, says IYC

    The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, has again appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to make the mistake of appointing non-Ijaw as the administrator of Niger Delta Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

    IYC made the appeal in a statement yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.

    Its spokesman, Binebai Princewill, said PAP was not like any other ministry or commission such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Ministry of the Niger Delta, noting that the price the Ijaw paid for the establishment of PAP was too big a price for a people to pay.

    He said the Ijaw had been magnanimous in accommodating other ethnic groups in the programme so far, hence they were confident that President Tinubu would not make the mistake of appointing non-Ijaw as its coordinator.

    Princewill said: “The Ijaw Youth Council has been keenly following political developments of the Federal Government and so far we are beginning to see that the government is not carrying our people along well.

    Read Also; Fed Govt publishes 2023 FAAC allocations

    “We will not continue to keep quiet forever; we cannot continue to talk about peace when the necessary ingredients of peace such as fairness, equity and justice are not there.

    “Before our very eyes, Adokiye Tombomieye was removed from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) and replaced with someone from another tribe in the Niger Delta. A similar thing happened in the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

    “Again, plans are already underway for some individuals to collaborate with the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to sell the company to a consortium owned by cronies of the Federal Government without cleaning our environment, an evil the IYC has spoken against and will follow up to the letter until the Ijaw and Niger Delta people are given the right of first refusal.

    “Our people must be included; otherwise this purported sale will not work.”

    The IYC spokesman sounded a note of warning to some elements masquerading as ethnic bigots to choose their words wisely while engaging the press and in public speaking.

    He noted: “You can quietly make your points while agitating for your ethnic groups; we don’t have a problem with them, but talking out of point is what the IYC is taking exception to. What has the IYC call on Tinubu to handle the PAP’s matter carefully got to do with former President Goodluck Jonathan, Ijaw National Congress (INC), Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd that some youth leaders are talking about? The reference to the above is not in tandem and a complete deviation from the subject matter.

    “There is no connection between the Amnesty programme and that of the pipeline surveillance security contract, maybe perhaps some people don’t have sufficient knowledge about the surveillance contract that Tantita is not the only firm handling the job in the Niger Delta.

    “There were other companies before Tantita and even now, other companies are still there securing facilities in designated areas. So, why always mentioning Tantita? Only misinformed elements will not be aware that Tantita has perfectly done a clean job by improving the oil revenue of the country.

    “IYC hopes that this critical message from the Ijaw gets to the President and other critical stakeholders in the polity well. While we are committed to a peaceful and united Nigeria, the Ijaw deserve fairness, equity and justice from the Nigerian state.”

  • Ijaw youths angry over ‘unfair’ recruitment

    All is seemingly not well among the Ijaw people in the Niger Delta as a result of recent announcement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to engage new employees in the corporation.

    Already, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has expressed displeasure over the recruitment process, saying it lacked transparency and fairness. The IYC particularly alleged that the corporation was sidelining qualified Ijaw people from its recent employment process.

    The Ijaw youths held an emergency meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital recently to criticise the process.

    Speaking after the meeting, the IYC Secretary-General, Alfred Kemepado, alleged that the employment announced recently by NNPC had been hijacked by some powerful people at the corporation and the Presidency.

    Kemepado said it smacked of injustice and unfairness for the Ijaw people, who suffer pains of oil exploration and exploitation, to be marginalised whenever there are job opportunities in the oil sector, especially the NNPC.

    He said: “Recently, you may have discovered that NNPC advertised for qualified individuals to apply for various positions in NNPC and applications were made around the country and as qualified and competent as the Ijaw are, most of us also applied for those jobs.

    “But information reaching us indicate that the Presidency has hijacked the process of recruitment and that the Ijaw people are being sidelined and we find that very offensive for many reasons.

    “One of the reasons is that we cannot continue to dwell in a country where they come around the Niger Delta, especially in the Ijaw territory drill the oil, take the oil and sustain this country called Nigeria and leave us with the associated diseases such as leukemia and the degraded environment. But when there is opportunity for employment, our people are always sidelined, marginalised and not considered at all. We find that very offensive.”

    Describing the situation as intolerable, Kemepado appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the new Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC to look into the issue and consider Ijaw people who are qualified for the existing job opportunities.

    “We appeal to the Presidency and the new GMD to look into this issue and ensure that Ijaw people who applied for those positions, whom we know are qualified for these positions should be considered and not sidelined by the list from the Presidency.

    “If that really happens, we will take it as an insult. From the inception of this government, we have been provoked many times. The time officials from the Presidency visited the Niger Delta, they promised that international oil companies would relocate to the Niger Delta. We did not see that happen. But we frown at this one and we are calling on the Presidency to have a rethink and do what is right.”

    Kemepado also maintained that the IYC received information to the effect that, following the appointment of the new boss of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the corporation would be restructured, even as he called on the Federal Government to consider Ijaw people during the process.

    He noted that Ijaw youths had been trained in the activities of the oil sector through various interventionist programmes such as the Amnesty Office, the NDDC and other scholarship schemes sponsored by the government.

    “They are eminently qualified since they possess local and foreign certificates. So, nobody can doubt the competence of the Ijaw people. Therefore, the country should not continue to provoke this region. The Ijaw Youth Council and the elders have done our beat to keep the peace in this region.

    “Let us make it abundantly clear that the peace that President Buhari has enjoyed for the past four years and the peace that has prevailed as a result of the continuous flow of oil was not as a result of what this government has done for the people of the Niger Delta.

    “It is only as a result of our resolve as a people to keep the peace here with the hope that in situation such as this, our people will not continue to be sidelined and I don’t want the Presidency to push its luck too far and further provoke our people.

  • OML 30: IYC warns firm to hands off surveillance contract

    The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has warmed the oil and gas security service provider, Ocean Marine Solution Limited, to hands off the OML 30 assets as its involvement is seen as a discomfort to the people of the area.

    The council, in a statement signed by its National Legal Adviser, Igbeta Ayebakuro  and National Spokesman, Daniel Dasimaka, objected to the methods allegedly being employed by the company to make its way into the OML 30 communities.

    It would be recalled that hundreds of youths and ex-agitators from the 111 communities of OML 30 had last week stormed the Delta state capital Asaba, in protest of what they described as an attempt to hijack a pipeline surveillance contract thousands of youths in the communities live on by Ocean Marine, appealing to the state government to come to their aid.

    However, some groups, who were believed to have been prompted by the company, came out to discredit and disown the protesting youths, insinuating that they had no right to reject the advances of Ocean Marine.

    While addressing the protesters during the Asaba protest, the Delta state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Peter Mrakpor, affirmed that the agreement between the operator; Heritage Energy Oil Services Limited (HEOSL) and the host communities is that pipeline surveillance job would be solely reserved for Delta people only.

    However, the IYC, reacting to the development noted that the it had been fed with inaccurate details of the developments surrounding the contract and noted that the company’s role in the whole drama had been that of an oppressor, working to deprive the weak of its possession, warning that it would never allow itself to be used to oppression fellow Niger Delta people.

    IYC had earlier been consulted to join in denouncing the protesters as not representing the region.

    The statement reads: “The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide (being the champion of self-sufficiency of the peoples of the Niger Delta) will not be party to any agenda aimed at undoing our people and conning them out of the opportunities and natural advantage that accrue them.

    “The statement that came out of the council in the last two days, on the choice of some group of youths and former agitators from communities that fall within OML 30, who had embarked on a protest taking their plea to the Delta state government over their fears of being displaced and deprived of their legitimately guaranteed daily bread, by forces they consider to be using all means, including unlawful and brutal means, was not issued with an intent to support injustice against our own.

    “Though, as we earlier noted, Ocean Marine and its owner, Captain Hosa Okunbo, are also from Niger Delta and we do not believe they should be discriminated in any form, but we must state, unequivocally, that the initial information provided by Ocean Marine and its drivers was less than truthful and we are of the view that inadequate information was provided to mislead the council.

    “To this end, it is the opinion of the IYC that no genuine Niger Delta person or group should do anything to hurt the interest of the people of the region and in this instance, the hard-working youths and ex-agitators from the OML 30 communities in Delta state. This message is directed to Ocean Marine and its management to back off from using the current unwholesome and illegal methods they are employing to forcefully seize the pipeline security job from the current operators. We will not be used to validate oppression of our brothers.”

    http://staging.thenationonlineng.net/iyc-to-dss-chief-beware-of-politicians/

  • IYC chairman wins PDP ticket in Bayelsa

    The Chairman of Central Zone , Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Tare Porri, has won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the 2019 House of Assembly election in Ekeremor Constituency 1.

    Porri polled 26 votes to beat the incumbent, Ball Oyarede, who got 25 votes, to clinch the ticket.

    The IYC chairman attributed his victory to the courage, support, steadfastness and prayers of stakeholders.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, Porri said he was indebted to the delegates for their belief in him, and promised not to let them down.

    Porri hailed Governor Seriake Dickson for keeping democracy alive in the state.

    Referring to the governor as his father, mentor and governor-general of the Ijaw nation, he said Dickson gave all aspirants a level-playing field.

    Addressing his fellow contestants, he said: “To Miss Tari-ere Joyce Gita, history will never forget how you stood tall to defend democracy, with an outstanding character like you, there is hope for our people.

    “I thank Chief Ball Oyarede for a keen contest and invite you, alongside with other aspirants to join hands with me in moving Ekeremor constituency 1 forward and also leading our party to victory in 2019 because l cannot do it alone.

    “It is the people, who won the election. You my people are the true winners and i accept this victory on your behalf, with confidence that we shall unanimously do same in the general elections.

    “I assure the PDP that there is no viable opposition in the general elections. With this mandate, l shall work tidiously to ensure the victory of the party at all levels. I shall reconcile all perceived aggrieved factions. I shall increase the numbers of the party in the area, and l shall ensure that the music of PDP never fades in the ears of my people.

    “Going forward shall set up a reconciliation committee, to ensure that the party is united and in one accord. After my emergence in the general elections, I assure my people, that Ekeremor constituency one will experience optimal development and growth, working in tandem with the Restoration government.

    “This cooperation and enhanced policy harmony will surely pay handsome dividends, that will bring infrastructural growth, opportunities for youths, good policies, business sponsorship for market women and many other goodies”.

  • Crisis rocks IYC as chairman escapes death in Bayelsa

    My deputy held me at gunpoint – chairman

    Claims false, says deputy

     

    Crisis is rocking the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, following alleged attempts on the lives of the zone’s Chairman, Tare Porri and some elders in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    Porri, on Wednesday, said he survived an attempt on his life by the Vice-Chairman of the council, Amiebi  Turner and some of his loyalists, who invaded the venue of a peace meeting convened by the elders in council.

    Briefing journalists at his office in Izon House on Wednesday, Porri said his deputy stormed the venue of the meeting with bus loads of hoodlums and held him and other elders at gunpoint.

    He said properties belonging to the Chairman of the Elders Advisory Council, Mike Wenibowei, who provided the venue for the meeting were destroyed while the entire area was raided raided with valuables carted away.

    Wenibowei, former Chairman of the IYC, confirmed the incident and said he saw the thugs holding at least three guns adding that the invaders caused panic in the area through many gunshots they fired into the air.

    Wenibowei said it took the intervention of security forces to calm the situation.

    Turner and his loyalists were said to be angry  following an alleged plan  by Porri to handover to one of his supporters before leaving his chairmanship to contest the State House of Assembly seat for Ekeremor Constituency 1 in Bayelsa.

    It was gathered that the thugs attacked and beat up two policemen, including an inspector sent to serve an invitation from the Commissioner of Police in the state Don Awunah, to the suspects in Ogboloma.

    The policemen were reportedly hospitalized after the thugs descended and vented their anger on them.

    Read Also: APC lied on sacking of 28,000 workers, says Bayelsa govt

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Asinim Butswat, confirmed the attack on the security operatives, but said he needed a detailed briefing to get the facts of the matter.

    “I am aware, I just want to get detailed explanation before I talk to you”, he said.

    Porri said he was saved by the intervention of his security aide and the malfunctioning of the locally-made pistol when his deputy pulled the trigger.

    He said: “The Treasurer tried to hit me and when I dodged, I saw Amiebi trying to pull the trigger and the gun did not respond. Immediately I used my last strength to hit him and I don’t know how I got out. He still followed me and was aiming at me before my security detail faced him and that was how I escaped being assassinated.

    “They raided the whole street with all their valuables. As I address you, even my phone is still with him and they have vowed to kill me, my wife and my children and they will burn down my house,”, he said.

    Porri called on the Inspector General of Police, the Commander, Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, the police, Director of the Department of State Services in the state and other security agencies to come to his aid.

    “My life and those of my lieutenants are in serious danger. These hoodlums have vowed to eliminate us. They feel the only way to take over leadership of the IYC is by killing all of us. I have reported to the security agencies”, he added.

    Porri named others who attacked him as Beledayon Barracks, Juliana Okpu and Daniel Perebi, who are also members of the executive committee of the IYC.

    But Turner denied all the allegations describing them as malicious and fallacious and asked the public to disregard the claims.

    He said: “The allegations that I mobilize thugs to disrupt meeting, held a gun, and all that and fabricated. I wish the general public to disregard these allegations leveled against me because it was built and watered on falsehood.

    “I was not invited for the conflict resolution meeting with the Chairman and other stakeholders of Council, but i got the information and went there to make my stand and raise critical issues that could lead to crisis in the zonal leadership.

    “We had series of argument which resulted in reactions by some followers of Porri and, which I find condemable in strong terms. I had to run for my life because I was targeted. I never held a gun or involved in any uproar”.

  • Former IYC President escapes herdsmen’s bullets in Delta

    Former IYC President escapes herdsmen’s bullets in Delta

    Former President of the Ijaw Youths Council ( IYC ), Dr Chris Ekiyor, Wednesday evening reportedly escaped death narrowly when suspected Fulani herdsmen reportedly riddled his car with bullets along the East/West Road, around Evwreni Community, Ughelli council area of Delta state.

    Ekiyor, who was also a commissioner in the Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan administration in the state, was said to be on his way to his Patani country home when two armed men, believed to be Fulani herdsmen, emerged suddenly and took aim at his car.

    It was gathered that the former Ijaw youth leader managed to escape the scene of the attack because he was driving a bullet proof vehicle. The attack occurred between 6:30pm to 6:40pm.

    Describing his experience to journalists during a briefing in Patani Thursday evening, Ekiyor expressed strong conviction that his attackers were Fulani herdsmen, explaining that his experience with people in different parts of the country is vivid and could not have mistaken the identities of his attackers.

    “I was returning to Patani from Asaba when around Evwreni, just outside Ughelli town, I came under attack by these men dressed in the attires of northerners, they brought out their guns and started shooting at my car. The bullets took out two of my tires.

    “I managed to escape to one of the communities around. The nearest police roadblock had been deserted and neither was I able to get any cooperation from the DPO of the area, who said there was no vehicle to deploy”, he explained.

    He, however called on President Muhammadu Buhari to quickly and seriously tackle the worsening Fulani herdsmen violence across the country before it consumes the country, charging him to look beyond partisan and ethnic interests.

    Also reacting to the development,  factional President of the IYC, Eric Omare, in a statement signed by the body’s spokesman, Henry Iyalla, charged President Buhari to act fact, noting that the security situation across the country is already spiraling out of control.

    “The attack on Dr. Ekiyor, a former Commissioner in Delta State is just a reflection of the general security situation in different parts of the country. It would be recalled that prominent Nigerians such as Chief Olu Falae, travellers along the Benin to Lagos road and other parts of the country have been subjects of attacks in recent times.

    “The security situation in all parts of the country is degenerating and calls for urgent actions by the federal government to arrest the situation. The gradual arms buildup in different parts of the country towards the 2019 elections is worrisome and make lead to a full blown war if urgent steps are not taken.

    “It is totally unacceptable to private citizens from a section of the country to have access to guns and using it to main and kill others without commiserate response by the federal government.

    “The IYC therefore call on President Buhari and the relevant security agencies to take drastic steps to stop the slide in the nation’s security before the situation get out of hand and result in unnecessary war in Nigeria”, he said.

  • Omare emerges President of factionalised IYC

    Omare emerges President of factionalised IYC

    Eric Omare, the immediate past spokesman of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), has been elected to lead as President of the apex Ijaw youths body by one of its factions.

    The election, which ushered Omare in, alongside three other executive council members, was held in Burutu town, headquarters of Burutu council area of Delta state between Thursday, March 2 and Friday, March 3, 2017.

    The election was held in defiance to a general resolution reached in Patani, Patani council area of Delta state, by a group of stakeholders of the IYC, including past presidents, elders and leaders from different parts of nation, which called for a new convention to be held on Sunday, March 5 in Okrika, Rivers state.

    According to the stakeholders, the convention scheduled for Okrika this coming weekend, which would have been second of its kind, should produce a credible electoral committee, which should organise the body’s election.

    However, the election held in Burutu, which produced Omare as president, had the blessing of the outgoing president, Udengs Eradiri.

    Omare emerged winner with a total of 67 votes to defeat his only challenger, Justine Okubo who did not record a single vote.

    Other executives elected are Ebalakpo Parkins, secretary general; Magada Franklin, financial secretary and Henry Ayala, Spokesman.

    Omare, a lawyer by professional practice, served as the Publicity Secretary of the outgoing executive council. He is also a Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Youths and Community Matters.

    In his acceptance speech, Omare while acknowledging the crack in the IYC, said “the new IYC executive would hit the ground running as we would immediately kickstart the process of healing the wounds that arised as a result of the election.”

    Speaking earlier, the outgoing president, Udengs Eradiri, said: “I pray the new IYC exexutive carry on with the vision and mission of the IYC. Eric Omare is a man that is very grounded in the Ijaw struggle and I believe he won’t fail on this regard.”

  • Troops search for Niger Delta militants with fighter jets

    … Residents panic

    There was panic in the creeks of Bayelsa State on Monday following sudden presence of fighter jets and surveillance aircrafts which hovered in some coastal communities in search of hideouts of members of a militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

    The Nation gathered that the military planes were sighted in some communities in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state, where attacks on pipelines and killing of soldiers occurred recently.

    A resident from Ondewari, a community in the council, said the sight and sounds of the jets caused tension in the area.

    He said some residents were already getting ready to seek refuge in the mangrove following fears of possible bombardments when the jets disappeared.

    “We noticed the jets in the morning. They were military jets. We were afraid and most people were thinking of taking cover when suddenly they flew away. We are still afraid that they may come back. We can’t forget the Odi experience,” he said.

    But the umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), immediately condemned the presence of the fighter jets in the creeks.

    The IYC President, Mr. Udens Eradiri, after an emergency meeting of the council, in Yenagoa, said the jets were also sighted in some parts of the state capital and Gbaramatu in Delta State.

    He urged the military to apply caution in their operations and warned against the intimidation of Niger Delta residents.

    Eradiri said the crisis would not be resolved by deploying fighter jets, adding that intelligence was a better strategy of dealing with activities of the militants.