From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has suspended proposed protests against the Sole Administrator of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Effiong Akwa’s appointment.

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

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

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

While saying the meeting would hold before the end of January, the youth leader said 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 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.

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Igbifa urged aggrieved Ijaw youths and other stakeholders to sheathe their swords and suspend 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, 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. 

“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 youth council, 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 said.  

Igbifa also condemned the ongoing violence and gun battle in Peremabiri, the community of a former militant leader, Paul Eris, in southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State.

“The situation in Peremabiri calls for urgent interventions by all stakeholders. We are in touch with the security formations. Residents of that community have abandoned their homes out of fear and fled to bushes and other neighbouring communities,” he said.