The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, has described as “inconsequential”, a group, Forum of Past Youth Leaders of Ethnic Nationalities in the South-South , which asked President Goodluck Jonathan not to contest the 2015 presidential election.
Reacting to the statement credited to one Alhaji Mumakai Unagha and Ekpo Ukon, IYC said Tuesday that the two persons who signed the saidstatement are unknown elements in the South South region who are only craving for recognition.
“Ordinarily, IYC would have ignored the statement as the handiwork of some inconsequential elements looking for recognition ahead of the 2015 general elections, but we have, however decided to react to set the records straight, especially considering the fact that the alleged forum claims to represent past youth leaders of ethnic nationalities in the South-South region of which the IYC past leaders form an integral part.
According to IYC; “there is no organisation known as Forum of Past Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders in the South-South and the signatories are unknown persons as far as youth leadership in the South-South region is concerned.
“The IYC as the collection of Ijaw youths and the largest ethnic nationality in the South-South has consulted with all its past Presidents and prominent leaders such as Dr. Felix Tuodolor, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, Mr. Jonjon Oyefia, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, Mr. Abiye, T. K. Ogoriba, and a host of other Ijaw Youth leaders, who all confirmed that they were not part of the said meeting and there was no such meeting.
“The IYC is in total support of the Jonathan’s administration and states that the Jonathan 2015 Presidency is a project of the South-South people and the youths of the South-South are irrevocably committed to this project.
“South-South youths are already mobilising towards the re-election of Dr. Jonathan in 2015 in synergy with other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.
“The IYC calls on members of the public to disregard the statement purported to have been made by the inconsequential Past South-South Youth Leaders Forum as they do not have the support to organise any anti-Jonathan campaign in any part of the South-South Region.”