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  • ‘E.K. Clark, Asari, Ijaw are Jonathan’s problems’

    ‘E.K. Clark, Asari, Ijaw are Jonathan’s problems’

    Comrade John Adie, the leader of the defunct Southsouth Liberation, was one of the key players in the Niger Delta militancy. He was once alleged to be training over 20,000 youths preparatory to the region’s cessation. In this interview with SHOLA O’NEIL, Adie, who is President, Foundation for Integration in Nigeria (FIN), speaks on some issues, including Obasanjo’s letter to President Jonathan.

    What is your reaction to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to President GoodluckJonathan?

     

    It is very unfortunate that this country is being destroyed by a gang of generals- Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Theophilus Danjuma and others. Nigerians must not forget that the same set of people killed Aguiyi Ironsi in 1966. Unfortunately, they are the same people who decide the fate of this country. They, especially Babangida took over government at a time as military Head of State; ruled, stepped aside and at one time decided to bring in Obasanjo who is in their clique to rule this country.

    Obasanjo committed a lot of atrocities and the defunct South-South Liberation Movement took him on; we wanted him out of power. It was because of Obasanjo that SSLM wanted this country divided in the early 2000s. But sadly, we couldn’t achieve that aim. It was he and his clique that also brought Jonathan. So, Nigerians should not expect anything good from President Jonathan because he is a product of Obasanjo.

    Be that as it may, Obasanjo was right to write to Mr. President. We urge the President not to listen to those saying otherwise. He should work on that letter, change his style of governance and move the country forward.

    What do you think the President should do?

    We want to urge some of those people in the corridors of power, who are advising Mr. President wrongly; particularly the Ijaw, people of the Niger Delta and their leaders to watch their utterances and allow the man to work.

    This is the first time we are having somebody from Niger Delta or somebody from the South-South as President. It is unfortunate that we are not doing anything better than all those who have occupied that position in the past.

    You can imagine that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has come out openly to raise an alarm that about $49.8billion is missing from the account of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It is unfortunate. As I am talking to you, the Federal Government cannot fund the Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P). We also heard that about N500 billion is missing from the SURE-P account. What is happening? What kind of country are we in? If you go to Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), there is no money to send people abroad for training because they say there is no money. If you go to the Nigeria Police Headquarters, there are contractors who did jobs for about six or seven years ago who have not been paid because there is no money. Surprisingly, Jonathan is not doing anything about it.

    Very few persons will share this view.

    Yes, but most of the people pushing the President around are not his friends. They are giving the impression that they like him; but they are doing him a lot of disservice. I do not want to mention names but the fact is there for everybody to see.

    These people, with their utterances and actions, are making enemies for the President. Some of these people are people I consider my mentors, fathers and very close people to me.

    Chief Edwin Clark, for instance, is pushing the President too far. He should tell the President the truth and advise him properly so that we would be proud of him when he leaves office.

    Also, Asari Dokubo has been talking too much and getting himself and the President into trouble. He should be called to order because he and others like him are making the President seem like an ethnocentric leader who is only for his kinsmen.

    Again, I have said it before that Jonathan is a product of Obasanjo, Danjuma and Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB). We should not expect anything different from him. My advice for him is that he should please leave the scene for a neutral person and let us see how they will lead the country.

    The ring of Obasanjos, Babangidas, Danjumas and others should leave this country alone.

    Again, you can see that people who have been indicted and their properties confiscated are still the same set of people who are in the corridors of power. How do you expect development from this class of people? Their greed is tearing Nigeria apart.

    If I get you right, you are suggesting Mr. President should not stand for re-election?

    That is exactly what I am saying. I am saying this not because I hate him. I want him to save whatever is left of his name, character and integrity.

    Let’s not get sentimental about this whole issue of Mr. President. We are talking about doing a thorough job that would make people of the Niger Delta proud. With what is on ground, Jonathan has not really made us proud as the President of this country.

    I am not a sycophant. I will tell it as it is and that is the problem. Jonathan is failing because those close to him are not telling him the truth. Within this short period, if he changes his attitude and style, he might still regain the confidence of the people and be the best candidate in 2015. But if he continues like this, he has no business in Aso Rock. That is the truth.

    As one of the agitators who fought to project the feelings of people of the Niger Delta and eventual emergence of a Niger Delta President, how do you feel with the way things are?

    In SSLM, we fought and we insisted that we should get the Presidency in 2007. These same people went and negotiated for the Vice-Presidency and luckily they got the President. But today, we have not seen anything to show for it. So, some of us are really unhappy. We did not key into the amnesty programme because we believe that it is a fraud. Look at those who keyed in; what have they brought to the Niger Delta? There is practically nothing. There is no development. Everything is at a standstill.

    You said you did not key into the amnesty programme, why and how do you rate the programme so far?

    No money or effort is too much to put into the development of the Niger Delta. It is the management of the programme that is the problem. There are so many people that should have been captured in the programme who are not there. I once told newsmen that the Ijaw hijacked the amnesty programme and I stand to be corrected. It is being executed as if the Niger Delta is all about the Ijaw and they were alone in the struggle. I and my commanders lost so many things like human resources in the struggle. But look at us today. We are not empowered. They brought in the surveillance contract; it was only for the Ijaw. The Isoko, Urhobo and other tribes who were part of the struggle never benefited from it.

    What is your view on the purported ambition of Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi and its effect on the state and the region?

    Mr. President has gone too far in the Rivers State crisis and his ‘fight’ with Amaechi. The governor is one of the 36 state governors that the President can call at anytime and sort out things with. It is very wrong for the President’s wife to start asserting herself and fighting the governor of a state. It is very wrong and condemnable.

    The President is playing a dangerous gamble. We have forgotten so soon that Rivers State is one of the easiest to infiltrate in the region. It has happened many years ago. I think Governor Amaechi is being led by God in what he is doing.

    You can imagine what he is doing about agriculture in the state. He opened up farms and the Minister of State for Education (Nyesom Wike) as he was then, said bananas were for monkeys and what the man was doing was rubbish. Can you imagine that! The Presidency and its men should allow this man to work or they should settle with him.

    What is your assessment of public office holders from the region?

    The Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs Elder Godsday Orubebe is the biggest failure. He has not done anything to better the lot of the Niger Delta. It is our struggle that made Orubebe minister. When they refused to confirm him, we mobilised, went to Abuja and even asked Yar’Adua to resign because of Orubebe. But what has he done for the people of the Niger Delta? What landmark project is he going to leave behind as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs?

    Now the President faces a lot of challenges. Apart from Boko Haram in the North, there are fears that the Niger Delta is a time bomb that could explode at any time. What is your suggestion on tackling the challenges?

    Boko Haram is on a revenge mission. Shehu Sani took Obasanjo to the uncle of a Boko Haram fighter who was killed and the following week the man was killed. He went to see the late Gen. Azazi, he was kept waiting for three hours. When Azazi finally saw him, he said service chiefs said the people would soon run out of ammunition and they would overrun them (Boko Haram). Till today, have they done that?  Al Qaida has hijacked Boko Haram and you know what that means. Unless this scourge is handled with care, it will cause more problems for this country.

    In the Niger Delta situation, there is no genuine peace because if you empower half of those who fought and give them amnesty and left the other half, it will only be a matter of time before the aggrieved people rise again to fight. The SSLM never got anything. Third phase never got anything. So, what are we talking about? There is no peace. We are sitting on a keg of gun power in Niger Delta.

    Is the problem just about the empowerment of former freedom fighters…?

    No! The issues that led to the agitations in the first instance have not been addressed. They are only treating the symptoms and not the illness. That is why we in the SSLM then refused to key into the amnesty because we believed that the Federal Government was not sincere when they said they would develop the region. You can see what has happened since then. Nothing has happened; no development. The only federal presence that was to come was the East-West Road and till today Orubebe has not completed it. I can tell you that man will not complete the project until he leaves.

    What is the way out?

    It is very simple. Develop the Niger Delta; open up roads. Empower the people of Niger Delta and develop the communities that produce the oil. You can imagine Shell is building offices everywhere in offshore so that they can fly in from Lagos, take their oil and go. Why not come into the town and develop the people. The problem has not started. You will see what will happen after 2015. There will be problem in this country.

    I want to advise President Jonathan to change his style of leadership. He should stop listening to sycophants who only tell him what he wants to hear and develop the country. He should use the carrot and stick measure with Boko Hara.

    Do you think the prediction of disintegration of Nigeria could come to pass?

    Don’t be deceived; Nigeria will never break up. We have passed that stage when the country will break up. I was in the forefront of the fight to divide this country. We went to some leaders in the Niger Delta and sampled their views. Most of them would never want to be part of this Niger Delta as envisaged. The Itsekiri for one, would never want to be in Niger Delta with the Ijaw; same as the Bini. One of the ethnic leaders pointedly told me he would not. We went to Akwa Ibom State and they have the same feelings. In Rivers State, the Ikwerre will not work with the Ijaw.

     

  • Many controversies of the Ijaw Youth Congress elections

    Many controversies of the Ijaw Youth Congress elections

    All is not well with the youth body of the Ijaw Nation, the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC). Though the body was enmeshed in protracted crisis associated with change of leadership, the transition when it ended on Tuesday sowed more seeds of discord among the youths.

    In fact, the election was supposed to hold in Yenagoa on Saturday, but it was shifted to Monday by the state government because of the visit of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye. Postponing the election was a wise decision since the government could not afford to be dealing with crisis during the visit of Adeboye.

    The election was later held on Monday at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex.

    There was no difference between the complex and a battlefield. Fully armed mobile policemen, soldiers, operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other intelligence officers relocated temporary to the complex and its surroundings.

    Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and many patrol vans of security personnel dotted the road to the complex. Indeed, the police and other security commands in the state were ready for any eventuality. Many people including journalists were not allowed access to the venue. The fear lingered but at the end the area became rowdy.

    Tempers flared. The youths violently protested within the complex and the election was declared inconclusive. The problem. When the votes for the financial secretary were being counted, it was discovered that the number of ballot papers exceeded the number of accredited voters.

    Instead of 99, the official went beyond it to 106. “This is fraud”, one of the youths shouted in protest. He was soon joined by others and the moods of delegates changed. The election was cancelled till further notice.

    Surprisingly, members of the Electoral Committee, were said to have sent text messages to delegates at about 1am on Tuesday insisting that the election must be concluded latter on Tuesday morning. Unconfirmed reports said a directive from the Presidency mounted the pressure on the state government to facilitate the conclusion of the IYC matter.

    The sudden change of mind by the electoral committee created the crisis. Most of the delegates when they arrived the gate of the complex, were denied access to the venue of the election by security operatives. Delegates, aspirants and their agents milled around the gate and remained there till the end of the election.

    The announcement came that the election had ended and that Mr. Udens Eradiri, emerged the President-elect of IYC. The camp of Eradiri rolled out drums to celebrate the victory. But the supporters of other presidential aspirants boiled in anger. Following the violent outburst, members of the electoral committee were said to have been secretly smuggled out of the venue under heavy security at about 10am.

    Though many believed that Eradiri because of his oratorical skills, courage, leadership qualities and vision deserve to lead the Ijaw youths, others are not buying the idea. Eradiri campaigned widely and warmed his hearts to many Ijaw leaders, including the Governor Seriake Dickson. He also used the media to his advantage.

    But the aggrieved youths soon rocked Yenagoa with protest. They took to the streets harassing buses and commuters. They stormed the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at Azikoro Road to register their complaints over what they described as imposition of candidates by the government.

    They marched to the entrance of the Government House. But they were immediately dislodged by security operatives. As they moved, they complained. The angry youngsters alleged that the elections were manipulated and rigged to the advantage of the government candidates.

    Two rival groups of youths clashed in a free-for-all. But they mended their fences, joined voices together to curse the masterminds of their travails.

    Other delegates who complained that they were shortchanged from the electoral process, held parallel elections and elected their different presidents. In fact, all the aspirants laid claims to the presidency of IYC.

    But the 2013 Electoral Committee of the IYC chaired by Sunny Tolofari insisted that Eradiri, the former Secretary-General of IYC, is the authentic President-elect.

    The protest, however, went wild. The protesters said the elections were marred by fraud with total number of voters exceeding the number of accredited voters.

    They claimed that the delegate list was altered and that officials of the state government deployed armed soldiers and police to stop original delegates from gaining access to the Sports Complex, the venue of the election.

    Some of the aspirants that laid claims to the presidency in parallel elections are Elvis Donkemezuo, Jonathan Lokpobiri and Nengi Ikiba.

    “My election as President of IYC was secured through a landslide victory. I call on my supporters to be law-abiding and urge other aspirants to come and work together. For Ijaw nation to move forward, everybody must come together as one,” Donkemezuo said.

    When Yenagoa became too hot for them, the angry youths relocated to the East-West Road, blocked the Mbiama axis of the road and caused heavy gridlock.

    For hours, commuters and motorists were held by the protesters who ignored all pleas to leave the road. They used a trailer to block the ever-busy road and chanted war-like songs.

    A member of staff of Vintage Press, Olatunde Olajogba, who was on his way to Yenagoa on an official trip, was held by the traffic. Olajogba who is the General Manager, Port Harcourt Office, described the traffic situation along the road as hellish.

    “Everywhere has been paralysed. There is no free-flow of traffic. I have been here for over four hours. The IYC boys say they are protesting against an election that was held in Bayelsa”, he said.

    He added that though security operatives flooded the area, they were unable to disperse the protesters. After waiting many hours without success, Olajogba was forced to do a u-turn back to Port Harcourt.

    “The police are everywhere. The JTF are everywhere. The youths said the governor of Bayelsa State did not allow them to participate in the election. We are handicap, everybody on this road. There appears to be no way out”, he said.

    Speaking through the mobile phone of Olajogba, one of the protesters, Mr. Jonathan Lokpobiri, vowed to remain on the road until some of their boys arrested by the police in Bayelsa were released.

    Lokpobiri, who was also a Presidential aspirant in the election, said the protesters would continue to block the road until the state government withdrew its recognition of Eradiri as the elected President.

    “There was an election on Monday but it was declared inconclusive and postponed till further notice. But to our surprise, we got text messages that we should come for the election the next day.

    “When we got there, they didn’t allow us in. No delegate was allowed to enter the premises. They later announced that some persons have won. This is not the way the Ijaw people behave.

    “The government should face governance and allow us to do our election. As it stands now we have gone to do our individual elections and all the 16 presidential aspirants have been declared presidents of IYC”, he said.

    Also another aspirant, Mr. Olorogun Kenneth, said all the aspirants had been declared winners of the elections by their delegates. He said the government deceived them to impose their candidates on them adding that accredited delegates were not allowed to vote in the elections.

    “We need well-meaning Ijaw leaders including the Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Matters, Mr. Kingsley Kuku to intervene”, he said.

    But after hours of the protest, the youths were forced out of the road by reinforced security operatives.

    But Tofolari said such protest was expected claiming that the election was free and fair. He said Eradiri won the election with 56 out of 99 votes describing as untrue the allegation that the election was marred b irregularities. He said Eradiri emerged through due process.

    He said Jeremy Ebipadei was elected as the Deputy National President, Ala Hart, the Secretary and George Ikuru as Assistant Secretary. Others are Financial Secretary Alfred Emikpade; Director of Mobilisation, Wisdom Ikribu; Woman Leader, Felicia Ngere; Treasurer, Bowe Tombra Ben and Legal Adviser, Ikine Ebele-Kori.

    Shortly after reeling out the names, Tofolari said: “These are the persons who won the offices. All across the world when it comes to electoral issues, there is bound to be such things that we are seeing now. This is not left out.

    “But the persons we mentioned to you were the elected persons. Protest is normal when it comes to electoral periods. The election is free and fair. All the issues will be resolved later.”

    Meanwhile, the Kawu-Baraje faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Chief Richard Kpodo expressed concern over the protest marches and said the election was a charade.

    He said the hijack of the IYC electoral process by the government was “a show of shame and an unnecessary politics that will further divide the Ijaw race”.

    “The government interest should have been tactfully done. This action will further tear the Ijaw race apart rather than bring the youths together”, he said.

    Eric Omare, who contested to be the organisation’s spokesperson, said the delegate list was altered by members of the Electoral Committee to exclude legitimate clan delegates and include fictitious names.

    Omare, who is a Warri-based lawyer, said: “Thereafter, after voting was concluded, the collation of result on a position by position basis started. The collation was successfully done for the positions of Mobilisation Officer, Treasurer and Woman Leader. However, when it was turn for the collation of the votes for spokesman, it was observed that the numbers of votes cast were more than the accredited voters. Whereas, the number of accredited delegates/voters was 99, the total number of votes cast was 103. Similar irregularity was observed with regard to the collation of the result for the Financial Secretary. Hence, there was serious disagreement between the agents/aspirants and the members of the Electoral Committee. After, the several hours of argument, it was unanimously agreed that the entire process has lost credibility and the election was accordingly cancelled apart from the election of the Treasurer, Woman Leader and Mobilisation Officer. The cancellation was announced in the full glare of the media by the Chairman of the Eleco, Comrade Sunny Diritolofari at about 9.30pm on 28th of October, 2013 at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa. Therefore, the election for the position of Spokesman, Secretary, Financial Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Deputy President and National President was inconclusive and cancelled.”

    He added: “It is sad that as Ijaw people we cannot even conduct an election involving only 100 people/delegates and involving only Ijaw people. The inability to conclude the election and the subsequent events have led to a near state of anarchy and total disintegration of the once cohesive Ijaw Youth Council.”

    He urged President Goodluck Jonathan, leader of Ijaw Nation, Chief (Dr) E. K. Clark, Presidential Advisers, Kingsley Kuku and Oronto Douglas to intervene and save the IYC from total disintegration.

    But Tofolari and Eradiri denied that the government hijacked the process.

    Eradiri said:”I don’t need government to win IYC election. I was given the opportunity to serve the Ijaw people as the former Secretary-General of IYC and I served well well; so, my hard work and my vigorous campaigning made me to emerged as IYC President.”

    Eradiri also condemned the post- election crisis, including the destruction of vehicles and blocking of the East-West Road by 16 aggrieved presidential aspirants.

    He said other aspirants gunning for the job lacked the leadership qualities to chart an enviable course for the region.

    He said his administration would ensure the “total cleansing of the IYC nation and structures” and would not tolerate any act of indiscipline and nonsense .

    He said the new government would ensure unity, discipline among the youths and build bridges.

    He said: “I want to ensure that young Ijaw youths begin to re channel their energy positively, because failure to do so would spell doom. We shall rebuild IYC structures and cleans bases, we shall also take crude oil thefts in our environments, re-articulate our position in the country.”

     

  • Itsekiri floor Ijaw in historic land tussle

    The Ijaw people of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom in Warri, Delta State, have suffered a setback in a legal battle with their Itsekiri counterparts over the ownership of a parcel of land in the oil city.

    A Warri High Court threw out their joinder application in the suit between the Itsekiri people of Okere Itsekiri community and the Delta State Government.

    The involvement of the Ogbe-Ijoh people added a new dimension to the ownership of the 3.197 hectres of land on which the government is building a model school.

    Ogbe-Ijoh leaders, led by Dr. Clarkson Aribogha, applied to be joined in the suit as defendants claiming ownership of the same parcel of land.

    In the application backed by a 20-paragraph affidavit, they claimed that the land was owned by Ewein, a powerful Ijaw patriarch and founder of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, “at a time now beyond human memory.”

    In their response, the Okere-Itsekiri people insisted that the Ijaw were only seeking “to reap where they have not sown”, adding that in the history of the foundation of Warri kingdom there was nowhere the name of any Ijaw man named Ewein was mentioned.

    Consequently, they (Itsekiri) prayed the court to strike out Ogbe-Ijoh’s application as was done by a Warri High Court dated July 9, 1964 and affirmed by the Supreme Court in SC/450/65.

    Dismissing the application, Justice M. Mukoro said: “From the discussion so far based on legal principles, judicial authorities, fact before me is that this application for joinder is a back-door attempt to revive an action laid to rest since July 1964.

    “Any attempt to go against the ruling of the Warri High Court and its affirmation by the Supreme Court is tantamount to judicial rascality, recklessness and unconstitutional voyage. Public policy demands that there shall be an end to litigation.

    “I find merit in the opposition to the application for joinder. The application for joinder filed on November 27, last year, lacks merit and that being so it shall be dismissed. So be it.”

  • Ijaw relive Gbaramatu invasion

    The Ijaw people of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State have marked the fourth memorial of the 2009 invasion of their communities by troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF).

    Dozens of people lost their lives in aerial, sea and land assaults by troops deployed in the wake of the killing of 10 soldiers and an army officer by militants, reportedly commanded by erstwhile leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo.

    The May 15, 2009 invasion also led to the destruction of over 30 communities by troops.

    Ijaw leader and President of the Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities (FNDIC), Oboko Bello lamented that the destroyed communities are yet to be rebuilt by the government.

    Bello said:“Four years ago today, the JTF military action was carried out in the Niger Delta under the late President Umar Yar’Adua.

    “The Federal Government pulverised Ijaw communities-Okerenkoko, Oporoza, Kunukunu-ama, Kurutie, Benikrukru, Kokodiagbene, Igoba, Azama- without rebuilding them.”

    He accused the Federal Government of not keeping its promise on post-amnesty plans for the region.

    The FNDIC president particularly lamented that the state’s construction of Kokodiagbene – Pepeama – Okerenkoko Road and construction of buildings destroyed in some communities have stopped.

  • Ijaw protest kinsmen’s killings

    The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has called on the Federal Government and international community to intervene in the killing of Ijaw people in Ibeno and Eastern Obolo local governments of Akwa Ibom State.

    The INC said the killings have been allegedly carried out by the Ibibio since August 28, 2008.

    INC Vice-President Charles Ambaiowei said the killings were confirmed by three leaders from Ibeno and Eastern Obolo, who came to Port Harcourt to meet with the INC.

    Ambaiowei said the first boundary crisis between the Ijaw and the Ibibio was recorded in 1954.

    “In 1966 during the Civil War, the Ibibio blackmailed us as pro-Biafra and enlisted the support of Nigeria Army to destroy Amazaba town thus turning Ijaw into refugees, who went to seek shelter in Andoni, now in Rivers State.

    “When the Ijaw returned home at the end of the war, the Ibibio had encamped in all the Ijaw villages. It was from then that the crisis started which led to the murder of the Oka-Ama of Amaoka (Obolo-Ijaw village), Sunday Eli Ikorwa, on August 28, 2008.”

    The INC chieftain also lamented that the Judicial Panel of Enquiry set up by the Akwa Ibom State Government has not seen the light of day.

  • Uduaghan advises Ijaw to shun violence

    Uduaghan advises Ijaw to shun violence

    Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has cautioned the Ijaw of Egbema/Gbaramatu kingdoms against violence and other unlawful acts as a way of expressing their grievances.

    The governor spoke during the inauguration of executive members of Egbema/Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundaction (EGCDF) at Hotel Excel, Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.

    Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Community Affairs, Mr. Vincent Omorie, he said the state government is delighted that since the creation of the EGCDF through a Global Memorandum of Undertanding between the people and Chevron Nigeria Limited, there has been peace within the communities in the two kingdoms and assured of government readiness to continue to work with the body.

    Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Deji Haastrup, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs said the event was significant in two main ways: “It re-affirms the commitment of the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture to partnering with the communities in the areas of its operations for socio-economic development through the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) while maintaining its policy of non-interference in their internal affairs, including the selection of their leaders and representatives.  It also confirms that the EGCDF and its constituent communities and the other Regional Development Committees (RDCs) have solid processes of appointing their leaders under the GMoU framework.”

    While reiterating that the GMoU is not only meeting its objectives, but has also become a choice model for sustainable socio-economic development that is imitated by other organizations globally, he said it is a development model that is driven by the communities through a participatory approach that involves all stakeholders.

    They commended the solid foundation laid by previous leaders which brought about peace and development and urged the new executive to live up to its billing.

    In his acceptance speech, the new Chairman of EGCDF, Chief Michael Johnny, assured the people of Egbema-Gbaramatu, Chevron Nigeria Limited  and government at all tiers of cordial working relationship, and to bring more development to the different communities.

    “We shall embark on execution of projects across all communities, but we must ensure to live in harmony, and put aside personal interest in order for the foundation to make much progress.

    “We did not elect ourselves, rather the various communities elected us to serve you. So, I can assure you all that it is what the people want us to do that we shall do. My government is going to be people oriented, and for the people”.

    On his part, the out-going chairman, Mr. E. E. Doyah-Tiemo implored the new executive to continue to employ the instrument of peace and dialogue as a means of meeting the crying needs of communities. He, however, called on the people to give their unreserved support to the new leadership to succeed.

    Those elected along Chief Michael Johnny (chairman) are; Apostle Sunny Jero (Vice Chairman), Comrade Jude Ukori (Gen. Secretary), Austine Ojo (Asst. Secretary), Hon Sunny Abilo (PRO), Alex Bubor (Asst. PRO), Hon. Silva James (Fin. Secretary) and Chief Godspower Gbenekama (Communication Director).

    Others are Sheriff Mulade (Treasurer), Gloria Grikpa (Provost), Chief B. E. Tiemo (Mobilization and Advocacy), Mrs Ati Edith Odafe, Mrs. Beauty Warizowie Mr. Segun Ebiwei and Chief Aweh December.

     

  • Ijaw leaders decry marginalisation

    Ijaw leaders decry marginalisation

    The Ijaw in Warri, Delta State, have appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to halt what they describe as the marginalisation and discrimination by the Itsekiri against the ethnic group.

    They explained that, since the creation of Warri-North Local Government Area in 1991, with the headquarter in Koko, only the Itsekiris have benefitted from political appointments.

    The President of ‘Egbemas for Positive Change’, Mr. Ebimene Fetimi, alleged in a statement that Ijaw has been reduced to a second class race in the council.

    He said: “Mr. President, the Itsekiri are the ones occupying all the positions, council positions. It is also on record that the Ijaws (Egbemas) are more than the Itsekiris in population, yet we are not represented, despite the fact that the council was created for both the Ijaw and the Itsekiri.

    “We are dedicated and committed members of Peoples Democratic Party. Mr. President, you will recall that this complaint was brought to your attention by the Egbema Voice through our various publications in the media.

    “While we were waiting for your response, Governor Udughan appointed Mr. David Edun (a native of Itsekiri) as the new caretaker committee chairman of the local government. This clearly shows that the governor is anti-Ijaw.

    “This unholy act of the Itsekiri is totally against the spirit of the amended 1999 Constitution as provided for in Sections 14(4) and 15. It is on this note that we call for the removal of Mr. David Edun and demand for the appointment of an Ijaw as the caretaker committee chairman”.

  • Abacha’s son gets highest Ijaw title

    Abacha’s son gets highest Ijaw title

    THE Bayelsa State Government yesterday honoured Mohammed, son of former Military Head of State, the late Gen. Sani Abacha, with the highest title in Ijaw land.

    It bestowed on him the “Izon Ebidouwei of Ijawland.”

    The title means “One who seeks the good of Ijawland”.

    Mohammed was also presented with the flags of the Ijaw Nation.

    Mohammed was invited by the government to be part of the 16th anniversary celebration of the state.

    Bayelsa was created in 1996 by the late Abacha.

    At a dinner organised by the government marking the anniversary, Governor Seriake Dickson, in the company of other Ijaw leaders, conferred the title on Mohammed and also presented the state’s Coat of Arms and flag to the people.

    The event was held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Yenagoa on Monday night.

    The government had earlier named a 150-unit housing estate, the main auditorium of the newly inaugurated Ijaw House and a road in the state capital, after the late Abacha.

    Dickson said the state and the Ijaw Nation in general will continue to honour the late Abacha because of the bold step he took by creating Bayelsa state, a development he said has not only opened up Ijaw-land, but has made the Izon man proud.

    Dickson said Mohammed is now an indigene of the state and urged him to build a family house in the state

  • Ijaw seek direct allocation of 13 percent

    Ijaw youths in Delta State have urged the Federal Government to pay the 13 per cent derivation fund to oil bearing communities in the region.

    They threatened to put out “oil flow stations” in their land, unless their demand is met.

    The Delta Ijaw Oil Producing Areas Youth Assembly (DIOPAYA) of Gbaramatu, Egbema and Ogulagha kingdoms were reacting to the dissolution of the board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

    They said the payment of the money to the government favours the development of the state capitals to the detriment of the oil-producing communities.

    DIOPAYA’s President Joseph Wurayai and Secretary Jackson Timiyan, in a statement in Warri, said DESOPADEC, which draws 50 per cent of the derivation fund, failed to make any impact in the oil-producing communities.

    They said: “Consequently, we resolved that the 13 per cent derivation fund should be allocated directly to the oil-producing communities, so as to save them from the overwhelming injustice that is meted out on them.

    “This will allow these communities develop at their own pace and encourage the inhabitants to jealously guard the oil facilities on their land.”