The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to immediately restore democracy in Rivers State.
It said that ijaw people and indeed all lovers of democracy were deeply concerned about the appointment of a sole administrator in the State.
Recall that President Tinubu had in March declared a state of emergency on Rivers State following a protracted political crisis between camps of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesome Wike, and his estranged political son, suspended Governor Simi Fubara.
Following the declaration of a six-month state of emergency, Tinubu appointed Ibok-ette Ibas, a retired vice admiral, as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state.
But, addressing a press conference on Thursday in Port Harcourt to mark the 57th Adaka Boro Day celebration themed ‘‘Ijaw Nation Strength: A Pathway for Unity and Solidarity’’, IYC President, Dr. Theophilus Alaye, urged the President to restore executive powers of the people to Governor Fubara.
He said: “We appeal to Your Excellency to please restore full democratic governance in the state by restoring executives’ powers of the people’s governor, His Excellency Sir, Sim Fubara, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, and the State House of Assembly.
“The people of Rivers state deserve lawful governance that will give the people the needed dividend of democracy and continuity of people-oriented development.
“Mr President Sir, you are a true democrat and your intention for Rivers people is genuine. However, removing our governor is not the step the people of Rivers state expected from a true democrat like you and as such the people of Rivers state are still in shock.
“You know the majority of our people are an emotional group of people and we can not pacify them for too long in respect to the situation here in Rivers state and we are running out of patience as the people can not sit and watch an unknown entity unknown to our constitutional democracy occupy our government house.
“Mr President Sir, we acknowledge the peace process you have initiated and we thank you for that. This alone has shown that you truly have genuine intention for sustaining peace in Rivers state, however, as believers of democracy, we want a speedy restoration of Rivers state back to the government of the people.”
Alaye noted that while the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has been instrumental in sustaining peace and rehabilitating ex-agitators across the Niger Delta region, the current funding level was inadequate to meet the growing demands of reintegration, educational training, and empowerment of beneficiaries.
He, therefore, requested an increase in the annual budget allocation to the PAP to ensure its objectives were fully achieved.
Alaye also appealed to the President for a new window to absorb more agitators in the Niger Delta region, particularly the Ijaw nationality into the PAP.
This, he said, would enable them to eradicate the few pocket of armed agitators left in the creeks.
Alaye also called for the removal of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from the Treasury Single Account (TSA)..
According to him, this will enable the NDDC to initiate and deliver more impactful signature projects that will directly benefit the oil-producing communities.
The IYC pointed out that the East-West Road remained a lifeline to the economy of the Niger Delta and the entire South-South region, saying its incomplete state continued to endanger lives and hamper development.
“We urge the Federal Government to prioritise and fast-track the immediate completion of this critical infrastructure,” he stated.
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