IYC accuses Akwa Ibom gov of annexing Ijaw communities

The Ijaw Youth Council has berated the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, for embarking on a plot to remap the state through a bill.

The spokesman for the IYC, Ebilade Ekerefe, accused Emmanuel of using the remapping exercise as a ploy to annex Ijaw territories in eastern Obolo, Mbo and Ibeno local government areas because of the oil and gas resources of the people.

He stated this during a press conference held at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa as a part of activities to celebrate Isaac Boro Day, 2023.

The bill titled, “State Map Establishment Bill,” passed by the state legislature, is said to be awaiting his assent.

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The bill had generated controversy and triggered pockets of protests by angry youths in the affected LGAs, who had vowed to resist the exercise.
Ekerefe said the governor was hiding under the guise of remapping Akwa Ibom to enable non-oil-producing communities in his locality to benefit from the three per cent equity share for host communities contained in the Petroleum Industry Act.

He said that Emmanuel was using the military to intimidate the youths of the affected areas who were resisting the bill.
Ekerefe said Ijaw youths were in solidarity with Eastern Obolo, Mbo, and Ibeno youths in their opposition to the remapping; cautioning that the ill-advised plan should not claim the life of any Ijaw youth.

The IYC said, “Let it also be noted that the Ijaw nation is watching keenly as events unfold in the Eastern Obolo flank where the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, is attempting to forcefully annex ancestral Ijaw communities in his state under the guise of remapping the state.

“It is on record that a competent court of law has stopped his surreptitious plan, but he is bent on remapping these territories forcefully, using the military, to include communities that are not oil-producing because of the 3 per cent equity share for host communities in the PIA.

“We condemn this anti-democratic approach by the Governor of Akwa Ibom State and call on him to desist as this decision has the potential to obliterate his legacies after eight years in office.

“We commend the Ijaws, most especially, the youths of Eastern Obolo, for resisting this move, and we assure them that the Ijaw Youth Council is in solidarity with them.

“We further appeal that no Ijaw youth from Eastern Obolo should lose his or her life due to the ill-advised action of the soldiers. That Ijaw youth sees this as a declaration of war on our people in Akwa Ibom State.”