Don’t Declare Rep. Of Niger Delta – Ijaw Elders Warn Militants

Edwin-Clark

Ijaw elders in the Niger Delta after a meeting during the weekend have come out to warn the militants who vowed to declare a Republic of Niger-Delta come August 1.

SEE: Niger Delta To Be A Republic August 1 – Militant Group

The meeting was held in Warri, Delta state and hosted by Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark.

Attendees of the meeting included Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, governor of Bayelsa state; Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, deputy governor of Delta state; Sir Gabriel Toby, former deputy governor of Rivers State; Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, former minister of culture; Alaowei Brodrick Bozimo, ex-minister of police affairs.

The leaders released a statement saying: “The  Elders and Leaders of Thought of the Ijaw nation call for the immediate restructuring of the Nigerian nation along the lines of peaceful federalism, and noticed that this is the panacea for the sustainable development of Nigeria.

Also stating on the current dialogue with militants and stakeholders in the region, they said: “as a demonstration of sincerity of commitment to dialogue, Federal government should immediately withdraw the military from all occupied Ijaw communities, particularly Gbaramatu kingdom.

They also addressed the federal government on failing to implement some policies.

Non-inclusion policies of the present administration, which has led to the alienation of some components of the federation, particularly the Ijaw nation from the main stream of national development”, they said.

They called on the President to ”redress this ugly state of affairs.

They condemned the scrapping of the Nigerian Maritime University at Kurutie, Delta state, saying, “The meeting passed a vote of confidence on the Chief Boma Obuoforibo-led leadership of the Ijaw National Congress. We  condemn the move to scrap the Nigerian Maritime University approved by the preceding Federal Government   with temporary site at Kurutie and call for the immediate takeoff of the university.

Chief Clark stated that any ongoing dialogue between the federal government and militants without the involvement of Ijaw leaders will not be recognised.

He made this known during his opening remarks before the leaders proceeded to a closed door meeting.

He further said, “this is not the first time this kind of crisis is happening. In 2008 and 20o9, similar incident happened and Gbaramatu was affected, elders, leaders intervened and we got Amnesty.

Today we hear that federal government is planning, already talking or negotiating with militants and nobody has consulted us. That will not work. These children are our children and we cannot fold our hands when they attack them and pretend not to notice. We must be involved in what government wants to do.”

Also at the meeting were former national chairman of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria, HRM Pere Charles Ayemi-Botu, Mbene III, Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom, Alabo Tobin-West; Chief Boma Obuoforibo, INC National Chairman, and Sir NGO Martins Martyns-Yellowe, Chairman Civil Service Commission.

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