IYC President, Eradiri Sacked Over Impunity, Anti Ijaw Agenda, Others

As Director Of Mobilization, Wisdom Ikuli Emerges Acting President

By Anderson Hart

Following allegations of impenitent impunity, anti Ijaw agenda and involvement in activities capable of polarizing Ijaw youths, President of Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, Comrade Udengs Eradiri has been suspended indefinitely following a vote of no confidence passed on his leadership by the general congress comprising of the East, West and Central zones of IYC.

The action was taken at an emergency IYC congress held at Mbiama the boundary town between Rivers and Bayelsa state on Friday 10th of October 2014.

The suspension was ratified in an earlier meeting held within the three zonal chairmen of the zones including Comrade Peter Timothy Igbifa of Eastern zone, Comrade Bobolayefa Owoupele of the Central zone and Comrade Freedom of the Western zone.

The motion for Eradiri's suspension was raised by Secretary IYC Eastern zone, Comrade Sunny Dirri Tolofari, interestingly who was the chairman of eleco that brought him in as president. It was seconded by the secretary of IYC Central zone, Comrade Sokari G. Sokari before the official suspension was unanimously ratified by the house.

As nature abhors vacuum, the Ijaw Youth Council National Director of Mobilization and Chairman of IYC Action committee, Comrade Wisdom Oniepar Ikuli was unanimously chosen as Acting President.

In his maiden address shortly after his emergence as the Ag President, Comrade Ikuli thanked Ijaw youths for the trust reposed in him to lead such a noble gathering of youthful sons and daughters of Ijaw extract, zand assured them he will never disappoint them. He said the former president's penchant for impunity, high handedness and divisive tendencies were at an alarming level, hence the decision by Ijaw youths to stall his excesses with a vote of no confidence which consequently led to his suspension. He condemned Eradiri's decision to dissolved the Elders Council, a strategic group of founding fathers of IYC who sacrificed everything to take us this far. He condemned his decision to isolate and operate a non inclusive government, lashing out at him for the level of impunity

Hear him: The Ijaw people are fighting for two things, political freedom and economic freedom. By God's divine intervention we have gotten political freedom as we are today privilege to have the President, our son and God sent father emerge as the President of the federal Republic of Nigeria. What we are now seeking is how to use the political freedom to get the economic freedom. This has become expedient because we produce all the crude oil used to achieve the Nigerian project, however we have continued to wallows in abject poverty in the midst of plenty, marginalization etc. Regrettably, our former President instead of working in tandem with Ijaw youths to achieve the collective Ijaw cause, was busy travelling the whole world on our behalf, yet not answerable to the house that gave him the mandate. A President who goes on air to tell the whole world that what he is interested about is beating up Ijaw youth for asking questions regarding his

leadership style and our struggle”.
For this reason Ijaw Youth came together and said enough is enough, the time to sanitize IYC is now to liberate Ijaw people from political and economic servitude. That is why Ijaw youths from all nations assembled here today in Yenagoa toll gate to register our angst and to say enough is enough. He thanked the Bayelsa state governor, His Excellency, Henry Seriake Dickson for the great works his doing and to assure him that the Ijaw youths are solidly behind him, and is endorsing him for re-election. Similarly in Rivers state the IYC is saying it is Ijaw Governor or nothing”, adding that the Ijaw Youth Council is solidly behind the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan

In similar vein on behalf the IYC worldwide, we are endorsing the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term like other ethnic nationalities have taken.

Speaking to newsmen the new brand Ag President said, "Distinguish gentlemen of the press I want you to know that from now on Udengs Eradiri seizes to be the President of IYC. We want to use this noble opportunity of great gathering of Ijaw sons and daughters, and as the acting President of Ijaw Youth Council to urge all multinationals, corporate bodies, foreign embassies, government agencies and parastatals should henceforth stop any dealings with him on behalf of IYC, We call on all friends of Ijaw youthd, including public spirited individuals and the goodwill he has been enjoying as the President on behalf of the Ijaw Youth Council shall from henceforth stop. Whatever transactions carried out with him on behalf of this noble body from now on is illegal, null, void and at such person's own risk.

We wish to also state that the organ of council like the elders consultative forum , Ogbo in council and others dissolved by the erstwhile president Eradiri has been reinstated.

In his remark the Chairman of IYC, Eastern zone, Comrade Peter Timothy Igbifa said “Ijaw people are known for their unity, in the west, east central, South west, north and wherever they find themselves. Recently Udengs Eradiri started working against the emergence of Ijaw governor in Rivers state, most arecently he was involved in activities that is capable of stifling the re-emergence of Ijaw President, camouflaging in the name of IYC. We are aware that our collective effort is to ensure the emergence of an Ijaw governor in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Ondo and all other Ijaw occupied state” he said.

“We had a summit where we all agreed that we will pursue vigorously the Ijaw cause in all state where we exist. If Udengs Eradiri has changed the focus and decided to use the Ijaw youth council to selfishly make money at the detriment of the people of this ethnic extract we will resist him to the letter. We are here today to address that, ijaw youths have resolved to enthrone a leadership by example. Ijaw people are dynamic and will continue to be, we are not prepared to shift our ground – not even the likes of Udengs or anybody including politicians no matter how highly placed will deter us from following our objective as a people. We abhor violence and no amount of inducement will make us change our focus that is why we are her today to consciously address one of us who has turned out a Judas among the 12 with a view to serve him his own dose of action for betraying the people” the eastern zone chairman was quoted as saying..

Similarly the secretary of the Eastern zone, Dirri Tolofari in his remark said he played a critical role and guided the transition that brought Eradiri as President, however his macabre dance has brought IYC nothing but regression; disrespect and continuous polarity among others. Hence we are here today to take a decision that will change the cause of history in Ijawland to withdraw our mandate” he averred.




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