Itsekiri Plan To Resist Egbema Protest, A Ground For Second Warri Crisis —Ijaw Youths Blow Hot

.. Says Nigerians Should Hold Gov Oborevwori Responsible

Egbema Youth Council, EYC, has said that the threat by the Itsekiri Consultative Congress led by one Edema Collins Oritsetimeyin, a PDP Stakeholder in Warri North Local Government Area to resist the Egbema Ijaw planned protest against Gov Sheriff Oborevwori’s “unjustified exclusion of the Ijaws of Warri North Local Government Area, in nominating two Commissioners from Warri North” did not come to them as a surprise, saying that it will be a ground for a second Warri crisis.

According to a statement signed by Comr. City Kelvin Eferusuoa, President Egbema Youth Council ( EYC) and Mr. Ekpokeme Governor, Secretary Egbema Youth Council, the youth group added that “it’s a further affirmation of their mistaken belief that the Council belongs to only the Itsekiris, yet cannot find the population to make an homogeneous local government.”

The youths wondered if their “population is only good to increase their voting strength but not good for appointment.”

Continuing, the youths opined that “protest is a right and any group with legitimate reason need not apply.

“We need not take permission from the Itsekiris or the bias government of Sheriff Oborevwori ( a puppet of the Itsekiris) who has shown open hatred to the Egbema people.”

Adding: “We would not have responded to the publication of the Itsekiri group issued on Thursday, July 20, 2023 but to put the records straight for the general public and as a notice to the whole world, that publication we saw has all the imprematu of Government support for the aggressors ( Itsekiris of Warri North), the Government of Oborevwori is now the enabler of the aggressors. One of the governor’s aide was busy circulating the offensive story of the Itsekiri group to resist us. What are they resisting us for? For demanding for Justice in Warri North?

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“We want to put on record that history does not repeat itself but people do repeat history. We want the unguided Itsekiri group to read the history of the Warri crisis. What caused the Warri crisis? It was the unjust relocation of a local Government headquarters created for the Ijaws of (present day Warri South West LGA ) and the burning down of Chief E. K. Clark building by a group of Itsekiris mercenaries at his Warri GRA home when the Ijaws protested against the unjust relocation. The Ijaws protested against the government not Itsekiris. So, what was the offense of the Ijaws? The dog want to get lost in the jungle, will never hearken to the voice of the hunter. This is the case of the government of Oborevwori with this brazen injustice even when he’s ask(ed) to reverse himself and he has become adamant. We therefore, want to put on record that we do not protest against Itsekiris of Warri North but the Government of Sheriff Oborevwori and so, there’s no need for any group to make the threat to attack us.”

The statement reads further: “Now, the issues raised in their publication are resources Itsekiris spent on the election. Their claim to have spent more resources in terms of money is to stand truth on the head. Most of the money spent came from the State PDP, via the Government and individuals donations on the side of Ijaws and the Itsekiris. The Itsekiris were contestants to the House of Assembly and Senate from the council. So, when you contest election it’s expected that more fund(s) will come from your end. The second issue raised is Votes cast. Let the Itsekiris state the votes during the Presidential Election and the Senate. The true figure of votes in accordance with BVAs is there. It exposed them. We will not say anything about the Governorship because we know what happened and especially since the matter is before the court.

“Now our position:
That we have four Federal Wards in Warri North as against the Itsekiri Six Federal Wards an as such they cannot take the two Commissioners slot in Warri North. That it’s against the Federal Character principle as provided in *Chapter II, section 13 subsection 4 of the 1999 constitution* . The essence is to avoid the dominance of one ethnic group at the government level.

“That we gave Gov Oborevwori our four wards in the election just as Itsekiris gave their six wards.

“That the votes that came from Warri North are collective votes and as such the government cannot alienate us by giving the two Commissioners slot to only Itsekiris. These are very clear issues.

“The DSS and the government knows that our agitation is justified only the mischiefs are bent on a direction to cause trouble.

“Therefore, by asking the DSS to arrest Egbema Right Activist, Francis Abulu Esq is to stand the truth on the head and to further exacerbate the problem.

“Therefore, we submit that rebellion becomes a lawful thing when it’s against oppression. Our protest is against the Government of Sheriff Oborevwori and not Itsekiris.”