Rivers LGA Polls: IYC Warns Arewa Youths to Stay Off  N’Delta Matters

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has replied and warned a Northern group, the Arewa Youths For Peaceful Coexistence, to stay off any matter concerning the Niger Delta, stressing that the northern youths should know their boundary in Nigeria, and must not become meddlesome interlopers.

In a statement signed by its spokesman, Binebia Princewell, IYC stated that anyone or group of persons fighting against the conduct of the local government elections in Rivers State and Nigeria in general is an enemy of democracy.

The umbrella body of Ijaw youths worldwide said as true democrats it cannot keep quiet and  watch the country’s democracy wobble without contributing to strengthen it.

The statement advised the Northern group to focused their strengths and press briefings on their northern region, but even though they have been paid to speak trash about Niger Delta, “You people should be more bothered about your region.”

The council called on President Bola Tinubu to ignore and completely disregard such undemocratic statements from such “unserious fellows.” It also urged the president to quickly wade into the lingering political crises in Rivers State without biases with a view of returning peace back to the state, adding that the Rivers State local government elections were in order.

The statement said: “While it is not the style of the IYC to respond to every tom, dick and harry, the council thought it as  highly imperative to respond to the Arewa Youths For Peaceful Coexistence to strictly set the records straight in order not to mislead the gullible public and those in government “with lies purely borne out of hatred. A lie, if not corrected, can mislead people, hence, our response.

“However, the council has watched with great dismay how Arewa youths have severally meddled and poke their nose on Niger Delta matters that have no bearing and connection with the North.

“After the conduct of the Rivers State Local Government Elections recently, Council saw how the Arewa Youths For Peaceful Coexistence addressed the press expressing dissatisfaction with the Rivers State Local Government Elections and consequently calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withhold funds meant for the local government areas in Rivers State.

“The IYC is still wondering on the relationship between a Northern youth group and Rivers State elections in Niger Delta, let us not believe that these are some of the elements remote controlling and orchestrating violence in Rivers State.

“Nevertheless, while the council strongly condemned the highly provocative assertion from the Arewa Youths For Peaceful Coexistence, let this be a note of warning from the IYC to the Arewa youths to stop meddling into Niger Delta affairs as we don’t know how long we are going to tolerate this as a youth organisation. A word they say is enough for the wise.

“We have never seen anywhere in this country that a serving governor cannot conduct local government elections through its state electoral umpire and that, while every state governors are conducting their local government  council elections, Rivers State will become an exception in same Nigeria governed by the same constitution. This is really ridiculous and unbecoming. We are warning that nobody should push the Ijaws to the wall.

“The Ijaw Youth Council is surprised that the Arewa Youths for Peaceful Coexistence and others of their offspring are yet to make any bold statement and taking proactive steps in curtailing the insecurity that has ravaged and plagued Northern Nigeria for decades now. A group that has been mute when its own house is burning is now having the temerity to speak garbage on Rivers State matter. Insecurity in the North is almost making a permanent dwelling, and this is truly a worrisome development.”