Jonathan Caught Up In Ijaw’s Demand For Re-negotiation Of Nigeria’s Unity — March 23, 2014 Ijaw elders under the aegis of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) met in Yenagoa and pledged support for the National Conference and raised issues and agenda on the need to re-negotiate the nation’s unity. Osa Okhomina, who was at the threeday conference, reviews the decision and resolution taken by the elders. The main objective of the Conference was to engage in the yearly activities that mark the Ijaw National Day and review the contributions of the Ijaw Ethnic Nationalities and partners from other ethnic nationalities for the National Conference and the President Goodluck Jonathan Presidency. But by the time the three days gathering of the Ijaw Elders and friends from other ethnic nationalities of Edo, Yorubas, Ohaneze Ndigbo, ended on the 23rd of February,2014 at the newly renovated Cultural Centre in Yenagoa, they had ventured into setting an agenda for discussion at the Conference, words of advise to Politicians ahead of 2015 and the need for subsequent consultations and peace. But it also displayed the new direction of the INC as an Ijaw body devoid of State Governors control as even the officials of the host state, Bayelsa, were conspicuously absent. Some of the Elders, in few words, attributed it to unresolved issues of INC intervention in the crises that rocked the Ijaw Youth Council(IYC). However, the three-day event, which was put together by the Ijaw Elders, under the aegis of the umbrella body, Ijaw National Congress (INC),with a lecture titled “Ijaw Quest for True Federalism in Nigeria: A bridge Building Approach through Ethnic Nationalities” delivered by a one time Minister, Lt. Gen. Alani Akinriande (rtd),also left the venue with a vote of confidence for President Goodluck Jonathan for convening the National Conference. All, including the Acting President of the INC, Engr. Charles Ambaiowei, the Chairman of the CITRE, the Kalaokun of Kolokuma, HRM King Agara Mozi JP, the Pioneer President of the INC,Prof. C.A Dime,the Amanayabo of Twon Brass, HRM King Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff and the National Secretary of INC, Sir Theodore Ezonfade, Lt. Gen. Alani Akinriande, the pan-Yoruba leader and Former Secretary-General of the Afenifere, Ayo Opadokun and a Benin ethnic nationality leader, Chief Solomon Edebiri, agreed that President Goodluck Jonathan has done well. In his lecture, the One time chief of defence staff and Minister of Agriculture, Industries and Transport, Lt. Gen. Alani Akinriande (rtd) warned Politicians against the use of the National Conference as a dress rehearsal for the 2015 Presidential campaign, saying the conference is to discuss the faulty nature and structure of the entity known as Nigeria. Lt. Gen Akinriande (rtd),supported by the pan-Yoruba leader and Former Secretary-General of the Afenifere, Ayo Opadokun and a Benin ethnic nationality leader, Chief Solomon Edebiri, declared that “it is clear that it is not who is in government that should be the issue, but the structure of the federal government. It is the structure that needs to be re-designed and about which the Ijaws should build bridges to other nationalities.” “The nation’s unity is negotiable and should be negated due to the structural deficiency in the current political and structural configuration. Let me warn against the hijack of the National Conference by Political Parties including Presidential aspirants for personal gains.” According to Akinriande, the conference as convened by the President, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan has presented the nation with a negotiation platform with which the various ethnic nationalities will discuss and iron out how they want to live with one another or disagree and divide to go their different ways. Akinriande said “Although it would seem that initially, President Jonathan did not see anything wrong with status quo, fate has miraculously intervened again. By agreeing to convoke a National Conference, it would seem that Jonathan has eventually been persuaded that something is structurally amiss with the current political and structural configuration of the nation. “Having now seen the light, Jonathan must rise above playing politics with the hope and aspirations of the people of Nigeria and see himself as an instrument of divine intervention to forge this traumatized nation anew. This is the only honour and respect he can pay to all those Ijaw heroes and heroines who have fallen in the struggle to redeem the nation.” Lt. Gen. Akinriande noted that the ongoing National Conference will present the opportunity to redeem what is wrong with the nation that is now referred to as “the mistake of the 1914”. A Former Governorship aspirant in Edo State and a leader of thought, Chief Solomon Edebiri, in his contribution, agreed on the need for ethnic nationalities to select a formidable team of delegates to the Confab and prepare against the expected pressures of Political Parties and their agents, “the Benin Nation is yet to come together to present a position but as individual the restructuring is needed and it is negotiable,” he said. “Negotiation is a very strong word. How we live can be negotiated. That we should separate, I do not subscribe to segregation. But how do we live? Are we to live as a federating unit? Are we to give more powers to the centre? How do we live? We can not negotiate the unity of Nigeria but how we practice that unity can be negotiated.” Afenifere leader, Ayo Opadokun said those shying away from re-negotiating the Nigerian nation are hypocrites due to the faulty provisions noticed in the Nation’s existence, “the Nigerian project came about through negotiation. There are sufficient basis to question our co-existence.” “Don’t let us be hypocritical to say Nigeria is not negotiable. It is not fixed by God but human beings. There must be a mods operandi and rules of engagement on how we should be governed.” Earlier in his speech, the Acting President of the INC, Engr. Ebieridei Charlse, declared the preparedness of the Ijaw ethnic nationalities for the national conference with the ongoing bridge building initiatives with other ethnic nationalities to achieve the desired goal of restructuring the Nation’s polity. He proposed that for; “the restructuring to achieve true federalism and economic management, it must be based on full resource control in addition to the proposal of ten federating regions structure that will retain every other legislative powers except foreign affairs, central bank, immigration and citizenship. But the three days event was not all rosy and champagne drinking event over its attendance at the National Conference. The Ijaw Elders through the Ijaw National Congress (INC) nonetheless announced that they had dispatched a protest letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF),Senator Ayim Pius Ayim over the alleged choice of Chief E.K Clarke-led South South Peoples Assembly (SSPA) to nominate delegates from the Niger Delta region to the Conference. The Elders, under the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), noted the information it received that the National Conference Committee prescribed nominations from the Niger Delta be done through the South-South Peoples Assembly (SSPA) and declared that it is wrong and should be done in consultation with the ethnic organisations in the South South; in particular, the Ijaw National Congress (INC). In the protest letter addressed to the SGF, they declared that the Elders have only two options on how such delegates from the region would be nominated, one of which was the announcement of former President of the INC, Prof Kimse Okoko and the Acting President, Engr. Ebieridei Charles Ambaiowei as Ijaw Representatives to the Nigerian National Conference. The Decision of the Elders were signed by the Acting President of the INC, Engr. Charles Ambaiowei, the Chairman of the CITRE, the Kalaokun of Kolokuma, HRM King Agara Mozi JP, the pioneer president of the INC, Prof. C.A Dime, the Amanayabo of Twon Brass, HRM King Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff and the National Secretary of INC, Sir Theodore Ezonfade. According to the Elders, the CITRE extensively discussed the modalities for selection of Ijaw delegates,” Two options were suggested as follows, Allocation of the 15 slots given to the Niger Delta on ethnic basis. For this option, it is suggested that the Ijaw nation should be given two slots while the other ethnic groups should have one slot each and Allocation of the 15 slots given to the Niger Delta on the basis of the six States.” “For this option, it is suggested that each of the six states should be given two representatives, while the remaining three should be shared (one each) on the basis of the old state blocks – Akwa – Cross (old Cross River State), Edo-Delta (Former Bendel State) and Rivers-Bayelsa (old Rivers State).” Meanwhile the mini pan-Ijaw Conference that was attended by over 68 clan representatives from Ijaw communities in the Niger Delta at a separate meeting held also in Yenagoa, resolved that though the National Conference of 2014 is seen as an opportunity to enhance the unity of the country, attain fiscal federalism, and ensure true democracy, the Ijaw National Congress fully supports the Conference and commends the Jonathan administration for convoking the Conference, and would, therefore, attend and participate in the Conference. According to them, “Whereas the INC is desirous of a Conference based on participation by Ethnic Nationalities, and expects not less than two slots from the 15 slots allocated to the Nationalities of the South-South, Prof. Kimse Okoko and Engr. Charles Ebieridei Ambaiowei have been nominated to represent the Ijaw Nation at the Conference.” “Whereas there is the need to be well prepared and build bridges, articulate the Ijaw position, canvass and mobilize support for it across the country, the INC would establish and make functional a secretariat to service all nominated Ijaw delegates to the Conference. Leadership.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 14:53:50 +0000
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