The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth
Council Worldwide, has alleged that the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission is laying a foundation for
the arrest of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The IYC, however, advised the anti-graft agency to
shelve any plan to “persecute” the former President,
insisting that such a move would spell doom for the
Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Speaking at a news conference on Saturday to mark the
burial of a former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief
Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the IYC President, Mr. Udengs
Eradiri, said most of the close allies of Jonathan had
been arrested by the EFCC.
He particularly condemned the recent arrest and
detention of Jonathan’s cousin and contractor, Mr.
Robert Azibaola, over an alleged $40m contract fraud.
Eradiri said Ijaw youths would not allow Azibaola,
Jonathan or any rising Ijaw leader to be persecuted by
the EFCC, the way the Federal Government dealt with
the late Alamieyeseigha.
He said, “They have arrested almost all our people.
Azibaola was arrested by the EFCC and we are calling
on the EFCC to stop persecuting him further and charge
him to court if there are issues.
“They detained him for a long time, forcing him to make
statements to indict former President Jonathan.
Azibaola is a businessman, a contractor, and has the
right, like every other Nigerian, to get contracts. Why
will the Niger Delta case be a different one?
“We noticed that the same way they persecuted
Alamieyeseigha has continued. After Goodluck
Jonathan, our people who contributed to that
administration, are being persecuted by this
government.
“The recent one is the ploy to arrest Goodluck Jonathan,
which is unfolding every day. This must stop. Goodluck
Jonathan is the most performing President that Nigeria
has ever had. We are proud of him.
“Everyday, there is a calculated attempt to whittle down
the achievements of former President Jonathan. We call
on Nigerians to mount pressure on the government to
focus on leading Nigeria right rather than looking for
ways to bring down the achievements of Jonathan.
“Buhari should please focus on governance rather than
persecution of people who have added value. We are
not happy about it and today, we use Alamieyeseigha’s
death as a point of contact. The world has seen that
from Alamieyeseigha, it has trickled down to all the
Niger Delta people.”
Speaking on the alleged removal of 10 per cent
community equity from the new Petroleum Industry Bill,
Eradiri asked the government to do the needful.
He added that the Federal Government ought to have
known that community ownership would ameliorate the
years of crises in the Niger Delta region.
The IYC President added, “For us, we will not beg for it.
We will not even lobby anybody. The oil is our oil and
we will take it. If they like, they should put it, if they
don’t like, they should leave it. We expect that this
country should have commonsense by including
community participation.
“In the issue of pipeline surveillance, this 10 per cent
would have covered pipeline surveillance. Once the
people know that they have 10 per cent in this business,
they will protect it.”
Source: Punch
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