Stop playing politics with East-West road, Ijaw youth cautions FG

A prominent Niger Delta youth and an aspirant in the forthcoming Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide election, Bright Igrubia, on Monday accused the Federal Government of playing politics with its promise to complete the popular East-West road, saying that the project which remains the economic live wire of the Ijaw people of the South-South region of Nigeria must not be abandoned.

The one-time leader of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYC) who is contesting for the position of national spokesman for IYC, demanded that the Federal Government expedite action on completing the East-West road which he said had become a death trap, causing several losses of lives and negatively affecting the economic activities in the region.

Addressing newsmen shortly after his campaign council, Peace House visited the IYC Elders Forum in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, Igrubia said that IYC which represents the “resolutionary and revolutionary” movement of the Ijaw people, must rise up and demand for rights of the people to have good roads, qualitative education, quality healthcare and sustainable means of livelihood.

He said “since our son, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan left office as president in 2015, not one shovel of asphalt has been poured on the East-West road which remains the economic live wire of the Ijaw people of the Niger Delta region. That road is not Goodluck Jonathan’s road, it is Ijaw people’s road. That is why some of us expected the Federal Government to take that project seriously.

“While we all travelled from our various communities to Sagbama for the IYC convention, we all saw how deplorable that road is now. We all felt how onerous the task of driving on that road was like. That goes to show that the Federal Government is playing politics with the road because they have not given the road the attention it deserves. So, if the Federal Government has the Ijaw people at heart, I urge government to expedite action on the completion of that road.”

While addressing the IYC Elders Forum, the director-general of the Peace House, Timi Afamukoro, said that as the IYC Worldwide prepares to conduct elections for its national officers, the best candidate for the position of national spokesman, exclusively reserved for the IYC Central Zone, is Bright Influence Igrubia.

According to Afamukoro, the mandate of the spokesman for IYC is to promote and help preserve the culture and identity of the Ijaw people, and “going by his track record, you would agree with me that Igrubia had always shown that he posseses the strong will and character to speak for and defend the culture, identity and struggle of the Ijaw people.”

Speaking through its chairman, Elder Mike Wenibowei, the IYC Elders Forum gave Igrubia their blessings and advised him to consult widely as he goes about his campaign.

The chairman said, “we all know you. You are not a new comer in the IYC struggle. You have proved to be a devoted and intelligent Ijaw son and leader. We do not have any doubt in you but you must remember that election is not a do or die affair because power comes only from God. Ensure your campaign is issue-based and make sure you consult widely.”