NDDC Board: Southern Coalition backs protests, gives FG 48-hour ultimatum

A coalition of Southern Nigeria Youth teams has thrown its weight behind the continued protest in demand for the inauguration of the Niger-Delta Improvement Fee, NDDC, Board.

PRESS INFORMANT stories that there was a sustained protest by Niger-Delta youths in opposition to the non-inauguration of the NDDC Board.

Rigidity was added to the event with the kidnapping of the Nationwide President of Ijaw Youth Council, Com. Dcn. Timothy Peter Igbifa.

In a press release on Thursday signed by Aare Barr Oladotun Hassan, President, Coalition of Southern Teams/International President, Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide and Mazi Okwu Nnabuike,
Secretary Basic, Coalition of Southern Teams/President Basic, Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, they gave the Federal Authorities a 48-hour ultimatum to inaugurate the board.

Whereas condemning Igbifa’s abduction, they blamed it on “unknown assailants working for the cabals and enemies of the Ijaw nation, whose sole mission is to repeatedly undermine the formal inauguration of the substantive board of the Niger Delta Improvement Fee (NDDC) by Federal Authorities.”

“It’s line with this we name on President Muhammadu Buhari to name for the fast investigation and arrest of the abductors of Comrade Igbifa and thier fellow cohorts.”

“We, subsequently, help the continued mass protests in the whole Niger Delta area and environs by the Igbifa led management, whereas alerting President Muhammadu Buhari to right away inaugurate the NDDC Board throughout the subsequent 48hours, or we resort to solidarity peaceable protests to all main oil corporations’ headquarters domiciled in Lagos State and different components of the Southern components of the nation to accede the IYC calls for,” they said.

They additional burdened the necessity for the Federal Authorities, alongside all State Governors to immediately engage the Nigerian youths in a Nationwide Safety Dialogue Dialog, whereas eqaully utilizing the medium to deal with different sundry problems with nationwide significance, particularly youth restiveness and unemployment, meals safety and financial progress, to say a couple of.

“A Nationwide Youth Improvement Dialogue is hereby demanded to be hosted by Mr President himself alongside the Senate President and the Speaker, House of Representatives and Governors and Audio system of the 36 States of the Federation, in an effort to collectively proffer options to the problems at hand: corruption, terrorism and banditry, mass killings and kidnappings, farmer/herders crises to say a couple of at the moment plaguing the nation.

“We recognize the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi for his Maverick position and robust advocacy for the emancipation and complete inclusion of the Nigerian youths in governance buildings and focus on in any respect ranges.

“We demand the onward implementation of our submitted memoranda on the continued 1999 constitutional evaluate viz: on the institution of the Nationwide Youth Improvement Fee, Nationwide Joint Regional Safety Networks Company for harmonization and analysis of all native vigilante and conventional safety teams, in addition to decentralised State and Native Governments Policing technique, Nationwide Training Proper Legal guidelines, Legislatures, Judiciary and Native Governments Autonomy, Nationwide Plebiscite and Referendum Fee, and Nationwide Youth Proper Legal guidelines, respectively.

“We commend the Southern Governors’ Discussion board’s efforts to date, however insist on a dialogue date with Mr President focused at resolving all aforementioned resolutions with the Federal Government fairly than the continued media feuds.”