by Yerindideke Kindness Ayibakuro
Apex Ijaw Youth body, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide led by its president, Dcn Peter Timothy Igbifa has given the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Minister of Niger Delta, Sen. Godswill Akpabio one month to urgently constitute a substantive board for the proper development of the region.
The revered Ijaw Youth Council president gave the ultimatum shortly after Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide National Expanded Exco/Stakeholders Meeting held at the Presidential Hotel, Atlantic Hall in Portharcourt Yesterday during an interview with newsmen.
Igbifa had particularly warned that the IYC and other youths of the region are tired of an endless forensic audit, adding that the Niger Delta Development Commission substantive board must be constituted within this stipulated time or else the youths will occupy both the waterways and major roads in the Niger Delta region to push the constitution of the board.
The IYC President had informed President Muhammadu Buhari, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and other leaders of the country not to take the one month ultimatum for granted, stressing that failure to hearken this will amount to total shutdown of oil and gas sector in the region to cripple the economy with varying degrees of protests to register their anger, adding that the safety of the International Oil Companies operating in the area will not be guaranteed during this period.
President Timothy Igbifa while speaking in pains on behalf of the Ijaw nation asserted that enough is enough, stressing that the decision has become imperative following the political gimmicks played on the people of the region for too long on this dispensation.
Speaking further, Igbifa had explained that within this one month ultimatum, people of the region is expecting to see that the substantive board is nominated as the case maybe, security checks done, screened by the National Assembly, confirmed and inaugurated with this one month.
He continued that the ultimatum should not be seen as just a mere threat, assuring the Federal Government of Nigeria and whoever that cares that the #Endsars protest will be a baby protest when compared to this looming protest.
However, President Igbifa had wondered on the prolonged forensic audit, adding that even if Nigerians where to conduct a forensic audit for the whole country, it would not take more than six months as the case of NDDC forensic audit has knocked everyone’s imaginations, using forensic audits in other agencies as reference points, Igbifa had expressed anger that the case of NDDC is different, strange and cannot be condoned any longer by people of the region, maintaining that there is nothing wrong to have a substantive board while the forensic audit still conducts their audit.
Meanwhile, the IYC President Worldwide had lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for listening to the plights of Niger Deltans, adding that he should further demonstrate his love for the region by putting in place a substantive board for the region, stressing that nothing can make youths of the region renege on this ultimatum.
Nevertheless, it would be recalled that the meeting was heavily attended by stakeholders from Western Zone, Eastern Zone, Central Zone, Chapters in council as well as others.
