Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) President Blows Hot Over Alleged Refusal Of President Buhari ToAuthorize Maritime Varsity Act
The refusal of President Mohammadu Buhari to sign into law the much awaited Nigerian Maritime University Act is a setback to peace in the Niger Delta, president, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Barr Pereotubo Oweilaemi, has hinted.
"Whatever must have informed his decision to refuse his assent is far less important than signing the Bill into law".
Oweilaemi Esq., in a press statment signed and made available to The Nigerian Voice Friday, said the Maritime University, Okerenkoko is a viable weapon capable of restoring peace in the region.
In his words: "The survival of that School means economic growth in the oil sector. Buhari should consider the welfare of the people more than his personal belief. Rejecting the Bill as passed by the National Assembly poses grave danger to the oil sector", he warned.
He claimed that there would be no sane mind from the region that would be pleased with the political game being played by the powers that be.
Hear him: "No Niger Delta person will be happy seeing the School being traded off on the altar of politics. Buhari should know that the desire of the people supersede his personal reasoning. We will not sit idly by and allow our only heritage taken away from us. If there are issues the President may want to contend, rejecting his assent is not the best option especially now that the 8th National Assembly is about winding up.
"Mr. President can correct any of the identified ambiguities even after signing the Bill. There is room for amendment. His decision simply means that the School has no enabling law and thus, its survival is being threatened.
"We beg President Buhari to have a rethink of his inimical decision. Calling on the National Assembly to veto his assent may be difficult given the short time they're leaving office. It seems to us that Buhari only ambushed us by taken this provocative action at the dying minutes of the 8th Assembly's tenure in office", Oweilaemi, added.