We at the Coalition of Urhobo Nation Youth Leaders and Stakeholders (CUNYLS) having met on Sunday, 16th day of March 2014 in Ughelli, Delta State to deliberate on the State of the Urhobo Nation and the Nigerian Union hereby make this Public Statement. 1. That we heartily Congratulate Professor Godini Gabriel Darah on his nomination as one of the 492 delegates to the National Conference having known his pedigree as a worthy advocate of minority and environmental rights; resource control and the cultural heritage of the peoples within the territorial boundaries of the Nigeria Union as well as the African continent. We are confident that a man of his caliber clearly will be outstanding and shall not compromise the greater good of the Urhobo Nation, the interest of the Niger Delta Region and all minorities. We state that while we share in the aspirations and agitations of our brothers and sisters and of course the apex Urhobo Nation Social-Cultural organization, the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) on the need for more Urhobos to be at the National Conference having qualified thus as the Fifth largest Ethnic nation and having very eminently qualified sons and daughters capable of attending the conference but seemingly ignored and undermined on conspiratorial grounds, we make bold to say that the Voice of Urhobo Nation shall not be cowed at the conference, we are confident that the contributions and impact of the Urhobo delegates in advancing the Pride of place of the Urhobo Nation in the Nigerian Union shall be of monumental proportion. In pursuant to ensuring the achieving of the above stated objective, we at the Coalition of Urhobo Nation Youth Leaders and Stakeholders (CUNYLS) is resolved to assiduously engage and liaise with other broad based organizations and individuals as strategist and lobbyist. As lobbyist we shall work to build bridges and constructive engagement networks as well as reach out to conference delegates to ensure that common positions and interests favorable to the Urhobo Nation and the Niger Delta are vigorously pursued and arrived at at the conference. 2. That we do unambiguously re-affirm our total commitment and work to ensuring that a qualified Urhobo son of impeachable character and integrity acceptable to all Deltans as a Pan Deltan is elected as Governor of Delta State in 2015. We wish to state also our readiness to most respectfully constructively engage other ethnic nations in Delta State as equal developmental partners in furtherance of this pursuit. 3. That we wish to unequivocally restate our unmitigated support for the Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Presidency and Government proclaiming him as the all time best performing President of the Nigerian Union whose solid achievements are unparallelled. We hereby reassure on our unwavering commitment to supporting the President re - election campaign for a second term. We once again most respectfully call on him to declare and make public his intention to re-contest as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as soon as necessary, we are confident that Nigerians and specifically Urhobo youths will overwhelmingly vote him again to victory as President. We hereby call on all sons and daughters of Urhobo Nation to support unwavering the government and re election of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who indeed is the symbol of equal opportunities for all, supremacy of the peoples will and freedom from supremacist dominance. 4. We state our stand to continue to agitate for the creation of Urhobo State as well as for the appointment of Urhobo as a Federal Minister and shall continue on this advocacy engaging constructively pushing these thought even at the National Conference and to the National Assembly. It is our resolve to demonstrate this commitment by holding a public rally soon. 5. Furthermore, we strongly condemn the preposterous and highly psychopathic statement credited to Dr. Usman Bugaje a former Secretary - General of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) claiming that the oil wealth of the Niger Delta belongs to the North. As a coalition we are not surprised at this vexed statement of a dementia which several highly predatory and supremacist Northerners have consistently believed and expressed having seen themselves as the overlords of Nigeria and we all from the Niger Delta as a conquered people and mere political appendages of power who must exist only to the extent of their pleasure. It is pertinent to pellucidly note that most of these Northern fundamentalist and expansionist are presently re grouping in the All Progressive Congress (APC) and we have long viewed with grave suspicion that this conglomeration of many of these neo- colonialist and supremacist Northerners in the All Progressive Congress (APC) is strategic to the extent of deliberately undermining and confiscating the oil- wealth of the Niger -Delta even at Jihadic price. While it could be passed that the obnoxious and rapacious statement by the senile Dr. Usman Bugaje is his personal opinion, we think it is highly imperative for the leadership of his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) to disassociate itself from the demonic and highly satanic statement of one of their most valuable Janjaweed Chieftain. Furthermore, it is our strong conviction that the despicable Dr. Usman Bugaje is acting a Pre-meditated strategic script in concert with other Northern fundamentalists to generate negative force against the National Conference with the intention of pitching the North against the Niger -Delta and all minorities in the hope to extinguishing the advocacy for fiscal federalism when the conference commence. While we at the Coalition of Urhobo Nation Youth Leaders and Stakeholders (CUNYLS) in fairness admit that there are certain individuals of quality, genuinely committed to the advancement of good governance and democracy in the All Progressive Congress (APC) we are afraid that fundamentalist, expansionist and supremacist like Dr. Usman Bugaje, Nasir El Rufai and Lai Muhammed have taken over the party and wonder if the party is not now a willing accomplice and partner to this odious and luciferious posturing of Dr. Usman Bugaje and his gang of Neo colonist. May we state unequivocally that should the All Progressive Congress (APC) refuse to publicly disassociate itself from Dr. Usman Bugaje statement of infantile rascality we shall view such silence as consent, a tacit approval and an unofficial position of the All Progressive Congress( APC) party on the oil wealth and interest of the Urhobo Nation specifically and the Niger -Delta generally. For indeed we shall not allow the All Progressive Congress (APC) who has not considered any Urhobo Son worthy of a National Executive office even at an interim basis make Urhobo Nation and the entire Niger Delta a slave of the North. 6. We hereby express our solidarity to the Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed Force, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan and to all men and officers of the Nigerian Armed Force in their brave onslaught against State terrorism being perpetuated by the Boko Haram insurgents. We stand with our gallant combatants believing that victory over the evil of Boko Haram shall earnestly be won with the debilitating menace of wanton daily murders coming to an end. We also pray for the repose of the souls of all the lives that has been lost to the Boko Haram insurgency asking God to grant their bereaved families the fortitude to bear the losses. 7.We are heavily saddened by the avoidable deaths of our youths at the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) aptitude and fitness screening exercise across the Nation.it is painful,hurting,embarrassing and shameful. We call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to take every necessary action to bring to justice anyone found wanting especially the minister of Interior Affairs, Comrade Abba Moro over the deaths of these young Nigerians seeking legitimate means of livelihood.No one must be spared no matter how highly placed. We call on Government to compensate the families of the dead youths and to confiscate the cursed and blood money made from the selling of forms,vest and others and at least refund such monies to the youths if it cannot be genuinely reinvested for the benefit of all those who made such payments. The large number of turn out for the exercise shows that despite government progressive initiatives and programs at create jobs, unemployment rate still remains very alarming, we call for more pragmatic efforts in this direction as a matter of National emergency, while also calling on the States and Local Governments to do more in the creating of Jobs. We fervently pray to God grant the dead eternal rest,granting them a place in paradise even as we share in the grief of the bereaved families,may God comfort them. 8. We eulogize the President General and the entire Executive Council Members of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) worldwide, led by Major General (retd.) Patrick Aziza for providing articulate and responsive leadership to the Urhobo Nation so far. As young persons who have had cause to in the past express certain concerns on his leadership,we wish to state that our confidence in his leadership has gained renewed currency and energy and do hope and pray that the quality of his leadership will get better and glow neon as the days goes by. 9. We Call for the immediate sack of the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Deziani Alison-Madueke whom we consider to be more of a liability to the government of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, her continued stay as Minister is a great minus and does Mr. President no good,just like the sacking of Mrs Stella Oduah and Elder Godsday Orubebe has restored some confidence even from die hard critics and opponents,we are confident that the sacking of Deziani Alison Madueke restore more confidence and respect for Mr. President, we shall in the days to come join other youths from across the Niger Delta to protest her continued stay as minister. 10.Finally, we wish to commend the proficient and outstanding performance of Hon. Kingsley Kuku as the Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs to the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria. We at Coalition of Urhobo Nation Youth Leaders and Stakeholders (CUNYLS) do pass a vote of confidence on his leadership and do wish him well as he continues to build bridges of harmonious co existence amongst the peoples of Niger Delta Area, while urging him to do more. Signed Comrade Rex Emojite Ekiugbo Anighoro Convener/Leader
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 13:55:00 +0000