The Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, Worldwide on Friday reached out to their counterparts from the North-Central zone of the country seeking a partnership that would ensure that the Nigerian federation is truly restructured.
This was as it lauded the Middle Belt Youth Council, MBYC, for dissociating themselves from the three-month quit notice issued by some northern youth organisations for the Igbo to vacate the northern part of the country.
Asserting that no amount of intimidation would dim the struggle to ensure equity in the country, the IYC noted that many of the problems plaguing the country were a direct consequence of the bad structure of the Nigerian federation, which it said, was not sustainable.
The Ijaw youths spoke in a statement issued by the IYC factional president, Eric Omare, which reads, “The Ijaw nation and the Niger Delta people express solidarity and extend hands of friendship to the Middle Belt Youth Council and the people of the Middle Belt for being their brothers keepers and for their support for self-determination.
“In the days ahead, there shall be robust engagement in coordinating our respective independent struggles towards achieving peaceful self-determination for the people of the Niger Delta, Middle Belt, South East and any other part of Nigeria desirous of self-determination.
“The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide commends the Middle Belt Youth Council for disassociating themselves from the quit notice issued to Igbo to quit the northern part of the country by some northern youth organisations.
“The position of the Middle Belt Youth Council as contained in the statement issued by Emma Zopmal demonstrates maturity and respect for Nigerians from different parts of the country to express their opinion as to the structure of Nigeria”.
Omare said his group was gladdened by the show of support accorded the Igbos by the people of the middle belt, insisting that there is the need for Nigeria to be renegotiated.
“We state for the umpteenth time that Nigeria as presently structured is suffocating and is in dire need of urgent surgery to reconstruct it so as to achieve unity, peace and progress.
“It is in this light that we are gladdened by the expression of support for self-determination by the Middle Belt Youth Council.
“This is a clear message to the caliphate north and the Hausa/Fulani oligarchy that no amount of intimidation and threat would stop the movement for the reconstruction of Nigeria for it to work,” read the statement.