Ijaw Youths under the auspices of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has charged the incoming government to sustain the Presidential Amnesty programme for Ex-Agitators in the Niger-Delta in order to maintain peace in the region.
The council also wants the existing federal structures set up to develop the Niger-Delta region such as the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Niger-Delta Ministry and other schemes to be strengthened and properly funded to enable rapid develop.
Its president Comrade Udengs Eradir stated this in Tuomo Community, Delta state during a worldwide meet of the council to review the outcome of the March 28 Presidential election, its implications on the continue survival of the Nigerian state and the way forward.
Eradir urged General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) to address problems of environmental degradation in the Niger-Delta including implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoni and general environmental remediation in other parts of the region which are affected by environmental degradation.
While anticipating implementation of the recommendations of the National Confab, to further deepen the federal system of government where the federating units would develop at their own pace.
He said this would address some of the imbalances responsible for political instability in Nigeria and the desperation to control government at the centre.
He further urged for national integration through an all-inclusive government, noting that the Presidential election has polarized the Nigerian state into regional and ethnic lines.
Lamenting that there were deliberate efforts by the core north and a section of the south west to frustrate the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and force him out of power through false media propaganda and insurgency in the north, in connivance with some foreign countries who displayed obvious bias during the electoral process.
He lauded President Jonathan for conceding defeat, saying that shows the level of patriotism of Niger-Deltans to the survival and unity of Nigeria, noting that General Buhari refused to congratulate the victors in 2003, 2007 and 2011 when he contested and failed.
“The events leading to the elections clearly show that the electoral process was deliberately planned to rig out President Jonathan from power. This desperation by the core north and south western part of the country to take back power is to enable them have access to the oil resources of the Niger-Delta.
“President Jonathan carried out a lot of reforms and achieved great feats in the areas of Agriculture, power, transportation, electoral process, economy, oil and gas sector, maritime sector, peace and security in the Niger-Delta etc. Nigerians would soon derive maximum benefit from the achievements of President Jonathan in the power sector,” he said.
“We therefore resolve that Ijaw and Niger-Delta youths be calm, peaceful and maintain the existing peace in the Niger-Delta region. We are satisfied with the performance and conduct of President Jonathan in office and we would warmly welcome him back home from national service,” he added.
