The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has demanded that any presidential candidate that wants the votes of the people of the Ijaw Nation must work out plans to relocate the head offices of International Oil Companies (IOCs) to the Niger Delta and revive the Onne, Calabar and Warri seaports.
The national spokesman of MOSIEND, who is also a renowned member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Kakas Amgbare, in a statement said that the emergence of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the presidential candidate of APC may have been the right choice but called on all well-meaning individuals from the Niger Delta region to vote a candidate that would not domicile all companies collecting oil from the Niger Delta in other parts of the country.
According to the activist, the Niger Delta region, despite its vast crude oil deposit has suffered marginalisation from political leaders, alleging that the whole problem of the Niger Delta region began in the 4th republic when the government at that time, led by President Olusegun Obasanjo domiciled all companies collecting oil from the Niger Delta in other regions of the country.
He said “some of the few good things we have in the Niger Delta were given to us by the Hausa Man from the North. General Abacha of blessed memory created Bayelsa State for us, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of blessed memory gave us the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme and created the Ministry of Niger Delta to stabilise the region.
“The only thing the Yoruba man does to us is to take from us. They block our seaports from functioning, but allowed the one in Lagos to function, deliberately undeveloped us so as to domicile all operational headquarters of oil companies in Lagos.”
Comrade Kakas who was a Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation and later appointed as Director-General, Centre for Youths Development and Industries to the first Civilian Governor, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, explained if the Onne seaport Port Harcourt, Calabar, Warri, and other smaller ports are functional, by now Niger Delta would have been the economic hub of the country.
The Niger Delta Youth leader who also served in the immediate past administration in Bayelsa state as Special Adviser on youths mobilisation opined that Niger Delta is a very critical component when it comes to politics and development of Nigeria, considering its contribution to the nation’s economy.
He added that “the destruction of Odi and massacre of our people by the Nigerian Army sent by Chief Obasanjo are still very fresh in our memories, therefore we will mobilise every Niger Delta youth against the candidature of Ahmed Bola Tinubu,” Prince Kakas said.
“This is not a matter of being a member of APC. We will put party membership aside and work for the interest of our region which Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is the answer, a second employer of labour after government through his business conglomerates across the Niger Delta States.
“What we are seeing clearly shows that the political class who are aspiring especially the APC national leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu only campaigning on the basis of rhetoric, there is no clear commitment to solve the problems of the Nigerian question and the Niger Delta in particular but coming to loot and the Ijaw Youths would employ all arsenals to support Alhaji Atiku to prevent this daylight robbery come 2023.”
Comrade Kakas said, with the present state of insecurity and dwindling economic situation, the nation, needs a vibrant young person that can pilot the affairs of the country and not somebody like Asiwaju who aged and has insulted the sensibilities of Nigerians enough, and this last APC National Convention will be his final political outing.
“This is because Nigerians have had enough and are now, more than ever before, ready and out to defend our nation and reject Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu in the 2023 Presidential election.
“Asiwaju should know that Niger Deltans are not his political string-puppets neither one of his acquired estates and loots that he will come and cajole. We ready for him through the ballots.”
Speaking further, the renowned youth leader emphasised that youths are looking at a president that will prioritise the issues of the Niger Delta, and the PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku is one of such persons we looked forward to becoming the president of this country to tackle our challenges, hence anything short from that would be counter-productive in the general elections.
The MOSIEND spokesman however affirmed that the body is committed to the Ijaw and Niger Delta Course, as an injury to one is an injury to all and called on all hands to be on deck particularly the Ijaw National Congressman (INC), the Ijaw Youth Council IYC and other pressure groups to reject any imposition of a candidate through the ballots against our collective will by the Yorubas and the Northern oligarchy.
“With the wealth in Niger Delta, there is no excuse for poverty if we have the right people in governance to put up an institutional framework; noting that the days of blaming people are over, and it is time to galvanise support for the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar for a renewed Niger Delta.”
