IPDI Condemns secret meetings of Slyva, Otuaro With Nigerian Vice President Osinbanjo

Warns President Buhari, Osinbajor Not To Negotiate Niger Delta Renew Agitation With Government Representatives

Says;

The region is yet to delegate anybody

No government representative can truly speak for Niger Delta People

Urged Otuaro to focus more on governance than mediation and meetings with traditional rulers, community leaders

Marginal fields are located in communities that are not currently regarded as oil producing communities in the region.

By Ezekiel Kagbala fpr

The Ijaw right protection group, Ijaw People's Development Initiative, IPDI has described the secret meetings of Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Slyva, Delta State Deputy Governor Kingsley Otuaro with Nigerian Vice President Prof Yemi Yemi Osinbanjo as gathering of political friends as such gatherings do not represent the interest of Niger Delta People and that the region is yet to delegate anybody or group to deputized on her behalf.

The leader of the Ijaw group, Comrade Ozobo Austin who briefed newsmen on Thursday in Warri urged Otuaro to allow Niger Delta stakeholders mediate for the Niger Delta people, as no government representative can truly speak for Niger Delta People.

Ozobo Austin also cautioned against narrowing Niger Delta agitations for Development down to kingdom, tribal, political and selfish interests, Warning that such moves are capable of derailing the region's agitations for equitable development.

While commending the Deputy governor's interest to project the needs of the oil producing communities in Delta State, he urged Otuaro to focus more on governance than mediation and meetings with traditional rulers, community leaders over Niger Delta Issues for now as he can't represent government and the Niger Delta region at the same time.

Ozobo also disclosed that the issue of marginal oil fields is not limited to Delta state and current oil communities alone and as well the agitations are not within the scope of oil producing communities alone as lots of marginal fields are located in communities that are not currently regarded as oil producing communities in the region.

He stressed that no one had been assigned from the region to mediate between the Federal government and the people and that those government representatives parading themselves lack power to speak for Niger Delta region as they were part of the Niger Delta multiple problems.

The group urged the public not to take such persons serious as they are government representatives and not representing Niger Delta interest.

IPDI called on President Muhammadu Buhari and vice President Yemi Osinbajor not to discuss Niger Delta renewed agitation with any government representative, but a genuine representatives which would be put forward by the region in the nearest future.

He also backed the South-South leader and elder statesman, Chief Kiagbodo Edwin Clark who said that, "It was unacceptable for the Vice President to call such a meeting over renewed agitations in the Niger Delta region without involving aggrieved stakeholders".

Chief Edwin Clark had also cautioned against such moves when he said that “The recent developments in Delta State; where some Communities and groups i.e. Ijaws of Gbaramatu and Ogulagha, Itsekiris, Urhobos, Ukwanis, Isokos, etc. issued ultimatums and threats to disrupt oil and gas operations in their areas are due to Federal Government’s continued apathetic attitude towards the region.”

It is sad that this government has continued to behave in this manner, and sadly, with the support of some of our people".

This is very unfortunate; I consider it as part of the deliberate attempts to undermine the efforts of the people of the region and the leadership of PANDEF. It is capable of causing disaffection and unnecessary tension in the region.

“The Minister of State Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, in fairness to him, was not part of our past conversations on some of these issues, so he may not be blamed for this new action.

While decrying the parlous state of communities in the region, Chief Clark advised Vice President Osinbajo to “take heed over these secret meetings, in which you want to isolate our leaders. We would have thought that your greater concern should be after how to put into action your various promises, most of which are not being implemented”.

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