Jonathan Calls Off Programme Over Ijaws Threat
President Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly backed off from the commissioning of the $16 billion Delta Gas City project in Delta State slated for today following threats from the Ijaw of Gbaramatu kingdom to unleash violence if he does.
Vanguard reports that the President, on Monday in Abuja during his declaration for second term in office promised to officially flag off the commissioning of the project today, but suddenly changed his mind on Wednesday despite re-assurance by the state government.
President Goodluck Jonathan
The President’s refusal to commission the project today will be making it the second time in six months he has done so. It was gathered that Mr. President’s refusal to commission the project in June, sparked fresh controversy in the state, making many residents wondering what was really happening.
However, the report followed the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, warning against bloodshed between the Ijaw and Itsekiri people in the state over the Federal Government-owned Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project, which has now been renamed Delta Gas City.
The controversy is emanating from the Ijaw’s claims that the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project was named after an Itsekiri community, Ogidigben, while it is not exclusively located on an Itsekiri land. The ijaws had on several occasions sworn to interrupt the groundbreaking ceremony, unless the name is changed as well as the acquisition formalities completed with Ijaw co-owners of the land where the project is located.
It was further learnt that the Ijaw of Gbaramatu Kingdom renewed their opposition to the groundbreaking ceremony between the time Jonathan announced his intention on Monday and Wednesday afternoon, prompting the president to cancel the plan.
In a reaction to the President’s decision, an Itsekiri leader and Ajuwaoyiboyami of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayiri Emami, has blasted the President for postponing the commissioning of the project.
Chief Emami described as disheartening that President Jonathan is pandering to the selfish and clannish interest of some group of Ijaw persons in Gbaramtu Kingdom against the wider interest of the country.
Speaking also, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, an Ijaw youth activist in the forefront of the crusade for Jonathan not to perform the groundbreaking ceremony now disagreed with Chief Emami, saying Jonathan should be commended for listening to the voice of the oppressed people of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
“This project has been on for almost a year without distraction. The Ijaw were carried along by Julius Berger of Nigeria, JBN, but because of the selfish interest of one person, Jonathan succumbed to threats to abort the groundbreaking again. The question I am asking is: ‘Are we safe under Jonathan if a project of such magnitude and importance to the nation will be toyed with because of the interests of few persons,” he said.
The Ijaw youth activist, who accused ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo of using his influence to blackmail and intimidate people, warned Tompolo and his Ijaw brothers that their continuous plan to deprive Itsekiri nation of what rightfully belongs to them was getting out of hand.
“I commend President Jonathan for listening to the voice of the oppressed people. Having postponed the groundbreaking again, my advice is that government should do the needful. It is not enough to say that the name has now been changed to Delta Gas City. The name of the project should be complete with the location of the project boldly proclaimed, and which we maintain should be Delta Gas City, Gbaramatu/Ogidigben. Besides, government should formally acquire the land from Gbaramatu people just as it did with the Itsekiri people. Mr. President should not come for the groundbreaking at all until all these issues are resolved. The project is also in our land and they should not act as if we are strangers. Jonathan should set up a high-powered committee to resolve the issues,” Bebenimibo said.
He posited that the Ijaw and Itsekiri have a common destiny because they are the ones laying the golden eggs and have been deprived of the benefits. He then appealed to the Itsekiris to understand their (Ijaw) struggle, saying; “We should not kill ourselves before we forge a united front to fight our joint enemy.”
It would be recalled that the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) reportedly took a swipe at the Forum of Past Youth Leaders of Ethnic Nationalities in the South-South (FPYLENS) for advising President Goodluck Jonathan not to contest in 2015 general election.
Vanguard reports that the President, on Monday in Abuja during his declaration for second term in office promised to officially flag off the commissioning of the project today, but suddenly changed his mind on Wednesday despite re-assurance by the state government.
President Goodluck Jonathan
The President’s refusal to commission the project today will be making it the second time in six months he has done so. It was gathered that Mr. President’s refusal to commission the project in June, sparked fresh controversy in the state, making many residents wondering what was really happening.
However, the report followed the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, warning against bloodshed between the Ijaw and Itsekiri people in the state over the Federal Government-owned Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project, which has now been renamed Delta Gas City.
The controversy is emanating from the Ijaw’s claims that the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project was named after an Itsekiri community, Ogidigben, while it is not exclusively located on an Itsekiri land. The ijaws had on several occasions sworn to interrupt the groundbreaking ceremony, unless the name is changed as well as the acquisition formalities completed with Ijaw co-owners of the land where the project is located.
It was further learnt that the Ijaw of Gbaramatu Kingdom renewed their opposition to the groundbreaking ceremony between the time Jonathan announced his intention on Monday and Wednesday afternoon, prompting the president to cancel the plan.
In a reaction to the President’s decision, an Itsekiri leader and Ajuwaoyiboyami of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayiri Emami, has blasted the President for postponing the commissioning of the project.
Chief Emami described as disheartening that President Jonathan is pandering to the selfish and clannish interest of some group of Ijaw persons in Gbaramtu Kingdom against the wider interest of the country.
Speaking also, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, an Ijaw youth activist in the forefront of the crusade for Jonathan not to perform the groundbreaking ceremony now disagreed with Chief Emami, saying Jonathan should be commended for listening to the voice of the oppressed people of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
“This project has been on for almost a year without distraction. The Ijaw were carried along by Julius Berger of Nigeria, JBN, but because of the selfish interest of one person, Jonathan succumbed to threats to abort the groundbreaking again. The question I am asking is: ‘Are we safe under Jonathan if a project of such magnitude and importance to the nation will be toyed with because of the interests of few persons,” he said.
The Ijaw youth activist, who accused ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo of using his influence to blackmail and intimidate people, warned Tompolo and his Ijaw brothers that their continuous plan to deprive Itsekiri nation of what rightfully belongs to them was getting out of hand.
“I commend President Jonathan for listening to the voice of the oppressed people. Having postponed the groundbreaking again, my advice is that government should do the needful. It is not enough to say that the name has now been changed to Delta Gas City. The name of the project should be complete with the location of the project boldly proclaimed, and which we maintain should be Delta Gas City, Gbaramatu/Ogidigben. Besides, government should formally acquire the land from Gbaramatu people just as it did with the Itsekiri people. Mr. President should not come for the groundbreaking at all until all these issues are resolved. The project is also in our land and they should not act as if we are strangers. Jonathan should set up a high-powered committee to resolve the issues,” Bebenimibo said.
He posited that the Ijaw and Itsekiri have a common destiny because they are the ones laying the golden eggs and have been deprived of the benefits. He then appealed to the Itsekiris to understand their (Ijaw) struggle, saying; “We should not kill ourselves before we forge a united front to fight our joint enemy.”
It would be recalled that the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) reportedly took a swipe at the Forum of Past Youth Leaders of Ethnic Nationalities in the South-South (FPYLENS) for advising President Goodluck Jonathan not to contest in 2015 general election.
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