August 22, (THEWILL) – The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to tender an unreserved apology to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, over what it described as an unwarranted attack on his personality.
MOSIEND, which condemned the attack on Lokpobiri, asked the IYC to immediately withdraw the statement and beg the Minister for forgiveness.
Recall that the IYC had gone to the media calling on President Bola Tinubu to reshuffle his cabinet and move Lokpobiri to another office where his incompetence would not be noticed, alleging that the ministry was too big for him to handle.
The group also blamed Lokpobiri for the current fuel crisis in the nation and the delay in the kickoff of the Port Harcourt refinery, accusing him of mismanaging his office and causing untold pains and hardship on the citizenry
The National President of MOSIEND, Amb. Dr. Kennedy Tonjo West, in a statement on Thursday, said Ijaw means truth and lamented the way and manner people who call themselves Ijaws rushed to the public to publish falsehoods and made derogatory statements against their leaders.
West, in the statement, asked those behind the publication to take a moment to ask themselves if what they said about Lokpobiri was true, saying it was unbelievable that Ijaw men/women could say such things about their own brother.
He said ordinarily, MOSIEND wouldn’t have commented on the issue but after deep thinking, it saw the need to caution those behind the publication as it doesn’t reflect the true position of things.
West said for the records, Sen Lokpobiri is not responsible for the delay in the immediate commencement of operations of the Port Harcourt refinery, noting that “these ugly developments responsible for the delay were caused by the past administration which failed to do the right things despite the billions of naira that were approved for the project and would not tell Nigerians the truth about the prolonged delay”.
He explained that it is unfair for anybody, especially the Ijaws, to blame Lokpobiri for the delay in the commencement of operations because the problems were inherited and despite that, he is putting in efforts to hasten up the process.
He said, “We actually didn’t want to get involved in what is happening between IYC and Sen. Lokpobiri but we have seen that it is a misplacement of priority and a display of aggression.
“We saw this hike in fuel prices coming because of how reckless the former administration handled matters and we saw how the issue of the Port Harcourt refinery played out. It is not Sen. Lokpobiri’s fault.
“We have also resolved as Ijaws not to run down our people in spite of their misgivings against any public office holder, come to talk of it, the person of Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri who, as a matter of fact, is not even the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources and the overtly displayed antics of Mele Kyari in saying the least.
“Secondly, the refinery is not directly under the Minister’s purview but NNPCL, so why would one try to rubbish him over what is not his making and to what gains?
“It is also regrettable and shameful that our people could condescend so low to ask for a replacement of somebody who is working round the clock to bring Mr. President’s mandate to fruition in spite of the hopeless situation he inherited.
“It is also regrettable that of all people, it is his people that are behind the attacks and not only that, it is coming from a respected institution like the IYC. We are asking that they render an unreserved apology to the Hon Minister.
“We are equally well calling on the Hon. Minister to take an appraisal of his disposition towards his people and the Niger Deltans if it is one that deserves commendation or outright disapproval hence warranting such lash out from his kinsmen.
“During the past administration, all Nigerians knew the monies being sunk in the refinery would be wasted because the government didn’t have the will to revive the refinery. So, how can you wake up suddenly to say it is Sen. Lokpobiri that’s responsible?”
“How can you use such heavy words, such unprintable words as incompetence, inefficient and ineffectiveness on the Minister, an Ijaw man who has done them no wrong?” Why didn’t they call for the replacement of the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources or better still the Managing Director of NNPCL as well, since they want to proffer solutions?
“They should go and hide their faces and heads in shame for this action. Today is Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, who is next on the line tomorrow? No matter the grouse with the Hon. Minister, this is one too many, you just don’t malign or denigrate somebody’s reputation for the purpose of compelling him to do your bidding or getting at him forgetting that the public is watching.
“It also behoves to note that the so-called press release was signed by just a section of the entire exco. This thus portrays them as disgruntled elements in the National Executive Council of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC. THINK. Go the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Proverbs 6:6.”
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
