WARRI – The Ijaw Youths Council, (IYC) which is the umbrella body of the youths of Ijaw ethnic nationality worldwide, has rejected the water resources executive Bill currently before the National Assembly, (NASS), saying if not discarded, was capable of crumbling the fragile peace in the Niger Delta region.

Addressing a press conference in Warri, Delta State, Pereotubo Oweilaemi, Esq, President of IYC Worldwide on the state of the nation, alleged that the bill was a calculated attempt by the Federal Government to put the people of the Niger Delta in perpetual servitude in their God – given land.

“The position of the IYC is that the said Bill is another neo-colonisation agenda by the Federal Government to annihilate and subjugate the destined of the Niger Delta people thereby subjecting the people to eternal colony. ”

“We reject the Bill in its entirety as it will only end up causing disaffection between the Niger Delta people and the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

“We have perused the spirits and letters of the said Bill clause by clause.There is nothing in the proposed law that will benefit the Niger Delta people. This is a clear departure from the sacred constitutional requirements of enacting laws which are for the public good , public morality and Public safely. A Bill that is designed to divest the people of natural resources in their domains cannot bring pace and good governance to the people. ”

Pereotubo Oweilaemi, Esq, President of IYC Worldwide
While calling on the the National Assembly to throw out the Bill, IYC said, “IYC therefore is of the view that the National Assembly should as a matter public good and for the sake of corporate existence reject the Bill outrightly or in the alternative , remove the clauses that seeks to control the surface and ground water resources including the river beds and banks. ”

The IYC insists that the management of the water resources should be left with the states.

While affirming that the Ijaw Youths will do everything humanly possible within the ambit of the law to resist the passage of the Bill, they said,

“There is no doubt that he passage of this inimical Bill will pitch Niger Delta communities against her visitors. We do not want a repeat of hisory in the region. This is surreptitious means to reintroduced the botched cattle colony. Niger Delta people will resist it even with the last drop of our blood. ”

On the the sit-at-home order compliance of IPOB, IYC said it was a demonstration of the fact that “our unity in diversity was only but a mirge. ”

On the Petroleum Industry Bill, IYC said in relation to the host communities, the IYC reject s 5% voted for the host communities as against the earlier 10% equity share for the oil communities and demand that the law makers should increase it o 10% which was the position in place and warned against using it as a campaign tool by politicians for 2019 general elections.