Buhari’s appointments violate federal character - Ijaw youth

The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council, has said the appointments so far made by President Muhammadu Buhari contravene the provisions of the country’s federal character principle.

General Buhari

The council, in a statement on Sunday by its spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, said Buhari’s lopsided appointments did not respect the principle as stipulated in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

Omare said, “Though we are not surprised because we have always known that President Buhari’s understanding of Nigeria is from Lokoja to Sokoto. Buhari has never regarded the southern part of Nigeria as a part of the larger entity called Nigeria.

“However, the IYC is pained that the leaders of Buhari’s All Progressives Congress from the South-South and South-East zones lack the gut to insist that the constitutional provision on federal character should be obeyed.

“It is, indeed, strange that the same people are now comfortable even with the most flagrant violation of the Nigerian constitution by President Buhari and lack the courage to challenge Buhari’s lawlessness.

“Ironically, some of them take delight in maligning former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration on a daily basis instead of focusing on how to give the South-South and South-East zones attention in Buhari’s administration.”

He said the IYC completely disagreed with the argument that Nigerians should concentrate on competence rather than federal character in making appointments.

Omare said while the council agreed that competence is important, it added that there was no section of Nigeria that did not have competent hands to manage any position given to them.

He stated that the northern part of Nigeria could not claim to have more competent people than the southern part.

Omare called on South-South and South-East leaders in Buhari’s party to demand that what was due to the two zones should be given to them.

He said the contribution of the two zones to the emergence of Buhari was completely irrelevant when appointments were being made.

Buhari’s appointments violate federal character - Ijaw youth

Ijaw youths to FG: Identify Boko Haram sponsors

Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide on Tuesday asked the Federal Government to identify, arrest and prosecute persons linked to Boko Haram’s sponsorship.

IYC said the bloody onslaughts by the terrorist group would not stop until the government fished out the financier and brains behind the insurgency.

While condemning the Monday deadly attack by Boko Haram on Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, the group said it was not enough for the government to always brood over such incident.

The group in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, said the government should not feign ignorance of Boko Haram sponsors.

It said: “The problem of terrorism cannot be resolved without tackling the source of their sponsorship. The sponsors of Boko Haram should be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.

“The Federal Government cannot claim ignorance of the sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria with all the security apparatus at its disposal. Government must act decisively irrespective of whose ox is gored and protect the ordinary people of Nigeria.

“The interest of the generality of Nigerians is over and above the interest of a few power hungry people who are sponsoring terrorism.”

IYC further reiterated its earlier position that the objective of the sponsors of Boko Haram and terrorism was to make the country ungovernable and forcefully take over the government of Nigeria.

“Hence, it is an issue that government must treat with utmost seriousness.

“We commend the effort of security agencies in tackling the challenge of terrorism and once again state our call for the extension of the existing state of emergency in the North East of Nigeria.

“The Nyanya attack has shown that Boko Haram has an agenda to extend its activities to other parts of the country once they are successful in overrunning the North East.”

Ijaw youths to FG: Identify Boko Haram sponsors

Jubilation as kidnappers free Clark"s son

Meanwhile, the Ijaw Youths Congress, has commended security agencies for freeing Mr Ebikeme Clark, son of Chief Edwin Clark from his abductors.

Edwin Clark

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Ebikeme was abducted by gunmen on April 2 in Kiagbodo, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta.

A statement issued on Sunday by Mr Eric Omare, spokesman for IYC described the unconditional release of Ebikeme on Sunday morning as triumph of collective will against criminality.

Omare said Ijaw youths joined forces with security agencies and ensured the release of Ebikeme.

“This clearly demonstrates to the entire world and Nigerians in particular that crimes only thrive in the society when it is condoned and given tacit support by members of the society.

“The IYC believes that there is a valuable lesson to be learnt from this experience by Nigerians and the government in the fight against crimes, especially terrorism in the Northern part of the country.”

Omare urged state governments and oil firms in the Niger Delta to create jobs for youths in the area to enable them contribute to the development of the region.

“We once again call on oil companies and state governments in the Niger Delta region whose oil revenue have increased as a result of the cessation of militancy in the Niger Delta to live up to their responsibility of providing and creating jobs in the post amnesty era.

“The fight against kidnapping, oil theft and other social vices in the Niger Delta region cannot be successful without relevant stakeholders taking drastic steps to address the economic situation of our people.

“The training acquired by ex-agitators through the amnesty programme would not achieve its purpose without the provision of jobs for the beneficiaries,” Omare said.

Jubilation as kidnappers free Clark"s son