March 18, (THEWILL) – Youths under the banner of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Central Zone, on Tuesday, staged a protest, blocking the Mbiama axis of the East/West Road to demand the removal of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The demonstrators, chanting anti-Wike slogans, set up barricades along the crucial highway, disrupting traffic.
Vowing to resist attempts to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Protesters described the FCT Minister’s recent comments in his media chat as an insult to the Ijaw nation and the entire Niger Delta, warning that his continued presence in government could destabilise the region.
Wike had in a recent media chat challenged the notion that Ijaw people dominate Niger Delta politics, insisting that they are a minority in most states outside Bayelsa.
“Ijaw does not constitute the majority of the Niger Delta. People must speak the truth; heaven will not fall. You only die once, not twice. In Akwa Ibom, Ijaw cannot be governor. In Delta, Ijaw is the minority of the minority.”
He also dismissed fears that Ijaw militants would react violently to an impeachment attempt of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“It’s the Ijaw people? Which Ijaw? And Niger Delta militants? Rubbish! Tell me, who are the militants? Who is not a militant? Who is born a militant?
“Who told you Ogoni people cannot blow up pipelines? Who told you Ikwerre people cannot blow up pipelines? Who told you Epie people cannot blow up pipelines? Why do we arrogate power to certain groups of people?”
He described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, accusing its leaders of being financially driven and politically motivated.
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