- "We are putting mechanisms in place to take our demonstrations outside this shore and tell the world that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed the Nigerian people," the IYC President said.
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has said it is putting mechanisms in place for an international campaign against the present administration.
The organisation also restated its stance that the people of the Niger Delta will not give their votes to any presidential candidate and, particularly the ruling party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), if there are no concrete agreements on restructuring the country.
In an interview with SaharaReporters, Oweilaemi Pereotubo, IYC President, said the organisation will embark on a global campaign to tell the world about how “President Muhammadu Buhari has failed the Nigerian people”.
According to Pereotubo, “I pray that Mr President will get some things right before we meet, but one thing is very important here. Whatever we are doing is within the ambit of the law. Whether we are going to protest or demonstrate, we demonstrate peacefully. We are putting mechanisms in place to take our demonstrations outside this shore and tell the world that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed the Nigerian people.”
Oweileami also noted that restructuring will develop the country and ensure improved security.
He said: “We urge Mr President to start the processes of restructuring this country because the in thing in Nigeria today is restructuring. Restructuring is a national call for Mr President, if he means well and he doesn’t want to put Nigeria in flames. Mr President should immediately kick-start the processes of restructuring this country.
“If we have a restructured Nigeria, you won’t be talking about killings in any part of the country. There is no day that passes by that people don’t die in Nigeria, because the security agencies in Nigeria are overwhelmed; they can’t do their work. If Nigeria is restructured, policing will be the responsibility of state or the region and the security situation will be addressed. And Mr President called people who are clamouring for it selfish leaders; that is unacceptable and doesn’t show sportsmanship.
“We expect Mr President to do all of these. However, should the president refuse to start the process to restructure Nigeria, the Niger Delta people will go into alliances with people from other regions and look out for aspirants or candidates who believe in restructuring this country and we will give our votes to such aspirant, not politicians that come to deceive us.
“Most politicians today are all singing the song of restructuring, and they are just singing this song to get votes. But there are a few of them who are passionate about restructuring this country. We are looking at them, monitoring their activities and very soon the Ijaw nation will gather in Port Harcourt in Rivers State and we will make far-reaching decisions."
