A significant political crisis is unfolding within the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, following the controversial suspension of Secretary-General Nangi Obu by a faction led by Jonathan Lokpobiri, brother of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri. The suspension has been met with fierce resistance from Obu, who claims it lacks constitutional legitimacy and is rooted in political maneuvering.
The tensions erupted after violent clashes during the IYC Eastern Zonal election on September 14, 2024, held in Abuloma, Port Harcourt, where at least five Ijaw youths were reportedly killed and numerous others injured. In a swift move, Lokpobiri and several executive committee members accused Obu of instigating the bloodshed, leading to their decision to suspend him.
Obu vehemently rejected the suspension, declaring it “dead on arrival.” He emphasized that Lokpobiri and his associates have no constitutional authority to remove him. “They have no right to sit and suspend me because I am not an employee of Jonathan. Our constitution does not give them such latitude,” he asserted.
The Secretary-General described the violence during the election as “unfortunate, terrible, and avoidable.” He attributed the chaos to what he termed Jonathan’s efforts to impose candidates in the electoral process, undermining the council’s integrity. According to Obu, Lokpobiri’s involvement in the Eastern Zonal election was particularly suspect, as he sought to establish a political foothold for FCT Minister Nyesom Wike in Ijaw territory to counter Governor Siminialayi Fubara.
Obu noted that previous elections in the IYC’s central and western zones had been conducted without interference from Jonathan, who attended merely as an observer. He accused Jonathan of unilaterally canceling the election in Opobo after discovering that his preferred candidate was not favored by local stakeholders. This decision led to the eventual election in Abuloma, which Obu claims was marred by violence due to the presence of armed groups.
“They came to the Eastern Zone to install the candidate of their choice. We resisted it,” Obu stated, alleging that Lokpobiri received financial backing from the FCT Minister and other entities to secure a favorable outcome. He further accused Jonathan of using armed thugs to intimidate attendees at the Abuloma election, contributing to the eruption of violence.
The Secretary-General pointed to a broader agenda against him, citing ongoing tensions stemming from critical statements he and his colleagues made regarding Heineken Lokpobiri’s performance as Minister of Petroleum. “For over a month, I and few of my colleagues saw how the suffering of Nigerians had intensified due to the insensitivity and lack of tact by the Minister,” Obu remarked, highlighting rising fuel prices in his region as evidence of governmental failure.
Obu claimed that Jonathan and his allies are orchestrating a campaign to undermine him and his colleagues, asserting that Lokpobiri had allegedly accepted N250 million to facilitate their removal, starting with Obu himself.
Read More: IYC expresses shock as shootings rock its Eastern Zone election
In a call for justice, Obu urged security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the actions of Jonathan and his associates, particularly concerning the tragic events at the Abuloma election. He emphasized the urgent need for accountability and protection of the Ijaw community, asserting that “the killings of innocent Ijaw youths must not go unpunished.”
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