Ijaw youths under the auspices of the Ijaw Youth Council have demanded a youth representative slot on the substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission when it is reconstituted after the forensic audit.
In a statement on Sunday, the spokesman for the IYC, Ebilade Ekerefe, said the inclusion would guarantee the youths a place and also give them a sense of belonging in the management of the region’s affairs.
He, therefore, commended the agreement reached in Oporoza, Delta State, between the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, and stakeholders, including former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, and the President of Ijaw National Congress, over the NDDC board.
He described as utterly false the comments of a chief at the Oporoza parley who insinuated that Akpabio cornered the Ijaw youth leadership to Abuja to have them compromised.
“We frown on that statement as we consider it too spurious and intended to blackmail a leadership who only gave the minister audience to explain what has delayed the constitution of the NDDC board just like he came to Oporoza to explain.â€
