IYC cancels all protests, opts for stakeholders’ meeting

By FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa

There appears a temporary relief for the Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Effiong Akwa as the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has suspended all proposed protests against his appointment.

Akwa has been in the eye of the storm since his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari wuth several groups in the Niger Delta region especially from Ijaw extraction kicking against his appointment.

However in twist to the whole NDDC saga, IYC has dropped all protests and opted for a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss issues affecting the Niger Delta region including current management structure of NDDC.

The President of IYC, Peter Timothy Igbifa who disclosed this in a statement on Monday said the proposed meeting would deliberate on issues surrounding the NDDC, take a common decision and formulate an action plan.

While hinting that the meeting would hold before the end of January, the youth leader added that all the zonal leaders, chapter heads, the Ogbos, clan heads and other leaders of the Ijaw ethnic nationalities across the country were expected to attend the meeting.

He appealed to all stakeholders in the region to maintain the peace and allow the forthcoming meeting take far-reaching decisions and formulate action plans to resolve some issues affecting the Niger Delta.

Igbifa, therefore, urged all aggrieved Ijaw youths and other stakeholders to sheathe their swords and suspend all protest planned in the name of the IYC and allow the proposed meeting determine a common position, strategies and way forward.

He said the IYC would not allow anybody to block any road in the Niger Delta including the East-West road using the name of the council to protest the development in the NDDC unless stakeholders agree in the proposed meeting that such strategy is the only way forward.

Igbifa said: “The IYC is an organised pressure group. At all times we must sit down and articulate our positions on issues and agree on action plans. Any action not sanctioned by our collective decision cannot stand and does not originate from the IYC.

“The IYC under my leadership has not articulated our common position on the current development in NDDC management. We are going to take that decision in an all-inclusive stakeholders’ meeting of the council scheduled before the end of this month.”

Igbifa also condemned in strong terms the ongoing violence and gun battle in Peremabiri, the community of an ex-militant leader, Paul Eris, alias Ogunboss, in Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State.

He said: “The situation in Peremabiri calls for urgent interventions by all stakeholders.We are in touch with the security formations and hopes returns to Peremabiri. Residents of that community have abandoned their homes out of fear and fled to bushes and other neighbouring communities. (Daily Sun)