IYC denounces calls for petroleum minister’s redeployment

● Eastern Zone officers urged to apologize to Ijaw Nation, Minister

By Amgbare Prince, Yenagoa

The 9th leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, under Comrade Jonathan Lokpobiri, has distanced itself from a controversial press statement made by some national executive officers from the Eastern Zone.

The statement had reportedly called for the redeployment of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, in response to the ongoing fuel scarcity.

In a swift reaction, Comrade Lokpobiri condemned the press release, describing it as ill-conceived, motivated by greed, and executed in bad faith. He criticized the actions of the Eastern Zone officers, calling them desperate and unfit to hold their positions, which are meant to serve the Ijaw nation.

Through his media aide, Lokpobiri declared the statement null and void, emphasizing that it does not reflect the official stance of the IYC, an organization dedicated to protecting the interests of Ijaw people worldwide. He clarified that only the President or the official spokesperson of the IYC is constitutionally empowered to issue statements on behalf of the council, neither of whom were involved in this instance.

Lokpobiri expressed concern that the officers involved may have been manipulated by disgruntled politicians seeking to tarnish the reputation of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, a distinguished Ijaw son. He warned that those responsible for endorsing the statement would face the IYC’s disciplinary committee and face appropriate sanctions.

Furthermore, Lokpobiri urged the officers to issue an unreserved apology to both the Petroleum Minister and the Ijaw nation for their actions, which he described as a betrayal of the trust and responsibility entrusted to them. He called on the public to disregard the statement from the Eastern Zone officers and advised the media to verify such stories with the IYC President or spokesperson before publication.