By Binebai Princewill

Niger Delta youth leader, Amb. John Dekawei has dropped an hint that the Ijaws of Delta State may boycott the 2023 general elections in the state owing to the unbridled level of hatred meted out on the Ijaws by successive governments, particularly with the Okowa led administration. The Liberator Newspapers can report.

The rights activist cum renowned philanthropist made the assertion in Abuja yesterday while commenting on the state of Delta Ijaws with particular regard to development. 

Amb. John Dekawei noted that it is totally unacceptable for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to send three executive bills to the Delta State House of Assembly which include the Delta State University of Education, Agbor, Establishment Bill, the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro Establishment Bill and the Delta State University of Science and Agriculture, Anwai, Establishment Bill without considering the interests of the Ijaw people.

The three bills were forwarded to the State House of Assembly on Wednesday 27th January 2021 by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who solicited the cooperation of members for immediate legislative actions on the bills.

The award winning humanitarian had described the move of Governor Okowa as an hatred against the Ijaws taken too far, stressing that for the Governor to send three executive bills to the Delta State House of Assembly, seeking to convert and upgrade colleges to universities without considering the interest of the Ijaws in such a sensitive move is a display of hatred. 

Dekawei had stated that while the Ijaws will resist the move, he tasked the Governor to be fair to all ethnic groups in the state and not playing to the gallery of ethnic jingoism. 

He continued that Ijaws cannot continue to be sacrificial lambs to service others, noting that the ethnic group must not agitate always before getting something for what should be given to them rightfully, stressing that such way of doing things is not right

In his words: “Ijaw May Boycott 2023 Elections, we have been treated as second class citizens,  our future has been attacked, we can no longer remain silent on the face of this injustice. The way the schools where formed, we were not considered. The Ijaws in Delta State also have a school that can be converted and upgraded. What is the gain of Delta State Ijaws since our union so far.

“If you deprived the people from Education, then what type of people  are you breeding. Giving us education is key to our development, a man that cannot speak is indirectly a slave, Okowa should be fair to all ethnic nationalities in Delta State, we cannot be agitating always for things the Government  should be doing for the people. Okowa should do the needful by converting DESOMATECH to a university to bring progress to the Ijaws. If not for anything, Governor Okowa should remember the votes from the riverine areas that contributed to his landslide victory. If you can collect oil from Ijaw, why can’t you give them development and education.”

Speaking further, the young leader had called on all Ijaw lawmakers in Delta State House of Assembly to rise against the  move by protecting the interest of the Ijaws in the state. 

Amb. John Dekawei is President general of the revered Niger Delta Socio Cultural group under the aegis of Delta Ijaw Youth Movement for Political Advancement (DIYMPA), raising the banner of good governance in Niger Delta and Nigeria at large. 

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