PRESS STATEMENT
IYC REJECTS EXCLUSION OF ITS DELEGATE TO THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE
The Ijaw Youth Council (Worldwide) frowned and reject the non-inclusion of its delegate to the National Conference. The IYC views the exclusion as a deliberate attempt to deny Ijaw Youths and by extension Niger Delta Youths from presenting their aged long struggle for Resource Control and Self Determination at the National Conference. It is on record, that the IYC has been one of the most consistent advocates of a National Conference to discuss the future existence of Nigeria. Indeed, a National Conference is one of the foremost demands of the IYC as enshrined in the historic Kaiama Declaration. Therefore, for the IYC, the umbrella body of all Ijaw Youths, worldwide, the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria to be excluded from a list that has a total of twelve (12) nominees from Youth organizations is totally unacceptable.
The IYC agreed to participate in the National Conference because we believed that it offers us an opportunity to correct the age long marginalization of the oil rich Niger Delta region and to advance the cause for resource control and self-determination which the IYC has been advocating all these years. We therefore call on the relevant authorities to correct the exclusion of the IYC from participation in the National Conference without delay.
IYC TO HOLD ALL IJAW YOUTH CONFERENCE TO TAKE POSIITON ON NATIONAL CONFERENCE
The Ijaw Youth Council (Worldwide) would in the coming days hold an all Ijaw Youths Conference to take a common position to be presented at the National Conference which would kick off in the nation’s capital, Abuja from the 17th of March, 2014. The all Ijaw Youths Conference which would take place at Agudiama Ekpetiama in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State would have in attendance Ijaw Youths from home and abroad. The conference would be similar to the conference of Ijaw Youths which gave birth to the historic Kaiama Declaration. All Ijaw Youths from all the Clans of Ijaw Nation from Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom States of Nigeria are expected to be in attendance.
Signed for Ijaw Youth Council (Worldwide):
Eric Omare,
(Spokesman).
