The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC Worldwide, has lashed out at the Nigerian
Senate over its recent refusal to amend the constitution to actualize
the need to decentralize or devolve powers from the Federal Government
to the State Governments.
In a statement made available to newsmen and signed by the National
Spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, Henry Iyalla, the apex
Ijaw youth body condemned the action of the National Assembly.
Iyalla added that the action has exposed the level of indifference
and lack of interest by majority of the Senators towards the unity of
the country; especially at a time when majority of the people are
strongly resolved towards restructuring.
The IYC further noted, that it would be in the best interest of the
Senate to reconsider their position on the issue of devolution of powers
to the State as their refusal to accept it does not serve the general
purpose or interest of the Niger Delta people and Nigerians
The statement reads in part: “It’s quite unfortunate that the Senate
who has the Opportunity to restructure this country in line with the
tenets and principles of True Fiscal Federalism has failed to do so. We
must however continue to agitate for the decentralization of powers as
against the quasi- military or unitary system of Government we operate;
anything to the contrary would be against our age-long agitation for
Resource Control and Self-Determination.
“We emphasize that states should be given the powers to manage and control their own resources.
The Ijaw Youth Council in its statement has therefore challenged the
Senate to convoke a Constituent Assembly where all ethnic groups would
sit to determine the veracity of rejecting the operation of true
federalism in Nigeria.
“Let it be said unequivocally, that the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and
the Niger Delta people as a whole would reject any move aimed at
perpetually subjecting our people to a life of penury in plenty.
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