IYC Expresses Confidence On Tantita, Otuaro, Ogbuku, Heineken On Progressive Leadership

…Commends President Tinubu For Appointing Ijaw Sons, Daughters Into His Government

…Say Ijaws people must stop attack on Ijaw political appointees and leaders

By Ndu Samuel

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has expressed confidence on the Federal Government of Nigeria, headed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the renewal of the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited pipeline Security surveillance contract, appointment of Chief Dennis Otuaro PhD, as Administrator Presidential Amnesty Programme, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister for Petroleum Resources (Oil) State and Dr. Samuel Ogbuku as MD/CEO Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

This was contained in a press briefing held in Warri earlier today by the Spokesman of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspapers Worldwide.

The press briefing had particularly called on all Ijaw sons and daughters to stop the attack on Ijaw political appointees and leaders.

The statement reads in full below:

Press Briefing Held in Warri by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide on Thursday, 27th February 2025

On Negative Remarks Against Ijaw Political Appointees and Leaders in Nigeria

Today, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide is addressing the press to correct certain careless, untrue, and negative remarks made by some of our Ijaw brothers against our Ijaw political appointees and leaders of our dear Ijaw nation. These remarks have been circulating in the media for quite some time now.

Considering the configuration of the Nigerian state, with about 371 ethnic groups, over 500 languages, and an estimated population of 223 million people (as of 2023), the Ijaw ethnic group, one of the oldest and fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, must continue to uphold the virtues of our forefathers. They bequeathed a united Ijaw nation to us, and it is now up to us to continue to sustain our unity as one big family as we struggle for our survival and proper recognition in the Nigerian State.

However, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, being the official voice of the Ijaw Youths, is commending His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, for renewing the pipeline surveillance security contract with the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited Company. This move is crucial in safeguarding oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta region. We are also commending the appointment of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri as Minister for Petroleum Resources (Oil) State, High Chief Dennis Otuaro PhD, Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Program, Chief (Dr) Samuel Ogbuku, MD/CEO of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and other worthy sons and daughters of the Ijaw nation who have been appointed into the Tinubu administration.

The Ijaw Youth Council is excited because these leaders are all competent, capable, and well-grounded in the discharge of their duties from their various offices. They are indeed critical assets in the Tinubu administration as they continue to deliver in their various offices.

While we are applauding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing our sons and daughters into his government, the IYC is calling on Mr. President for more political inclusion of the Ijaw people in his government. The Ijaw nation is full of capable hands that can deliver if given any office from Abia to Akwa Ibom, Rivers to Bayelsa, Delta to Edo, and Ondo States.

To our Ijaw brothers, henceforth, let us stop the needless attacks against our people as it is not in the interest of the Ijaw people to witch-hunt ourselves. Our struggle is to negotiate a better deal for our people. Resource control and self-determination are our key agitations, not to fight one another.

As mentioned above, one can hardly see out of the 371 ethnic groups in Nigeria, how their youth groups or groups within those ethnic stocks come out on a daily basis to attack their political appointees and leaders of their ethnic group. We must not make people think that the Ijaw people are not good people. These selfish and careless remarks against our people must be stopped henceforth as they are demarketing our ethnic group.

Apart from the Ijaw political appointees who have been practically visible in the discharge of their duties across the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large, we are yet to really feel the positive impact of others in the country.

As Ijaw people, we cannot say that out of the 45 ministers in the Federal Executive Council, it is only the one Minister from Ijaw that is not good enough. And then, out of the Development Commissions in the country, it is only Dr. Sam Ogbuku’s led NDDC that is bad simply because he is an Ijaw man. We cannot also say that out of the many federal government agencies, the Dr. Dennis Otuaro led Niger Delta Presidential Amnesty Program (PAP) is bad because he is an Ijaw man. On a daily basis, we use both national and international media to call our few appointees and leaders unprintable names.

Again, we have so many business tycoons in this country doing major contracts with the Federal Government of Nigeria, but it is only the Tantita Security Services that is now the problem of some of our Ijaw people simply because Tompolo is an Ijaw man. Perhaps his kindness in spreading wealth across the region and his fight to protect our environment, which has astronomically increased oil production like never before in recent times, is now a problem to some people. Sometimes, one begins to wonder what we truly want as Ijaw people.

Now, what we are making people believe in the Nigerian State is that any sensitive office that has an Ijaw son or daughter as head means that he or she is not good enough and must be brought down by the same Ijaw people.

As it stands, no one talks about NIMASA, the Local Content Board, the newly established Federal Regional Development Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the host of others, simply because there are no Ijaws heading them. This demeaning action against the Ijaw ethnic nationality by our own people must be stopped now.

Finally, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide and the entire Ijaw nation are pleased with the leadership of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, headed by our highly revered leader, High Chief (Dr) Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, Dr. Dennis Otuaro of the Presidential Amnesty Program (PAP), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku of the NDDC, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri of Petroleum Resources (Oil) State, as well as Governor Fubara, who is seriously transforming Rivers State like never before. Our solidarity as a council will continue to be with you all.

Signed

Amb. (Dr) Binebai Yerin Princewill
Spokesman, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.

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