The umbrella body for youths, Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, has warned that any attempt to truncate the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan will spell doom for Nigeria. The threat is contained in resolutions reached after the IYC convention on June 22 and June 23, 2014, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, a statement by IYC spokesman, Eric Omare, said on Monday.
The Ijaw youths noted that there had been clandestine moves by some “disgruntled and power hungry Nigerian politicians” in cahoots with their foreign partners to truncate democracy in Nigeria.
It said, “The Convention’s attention was specifically drawn to a report in a UK based paper ‘The Cable’ to the effect that Senator David Mark would take over as Acting President should President Jonathan under any circumstance is unable to continue as President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We condemn this report and warn that any attempt to truncate the leadership of President Jonathan would spell doom and the end for the entity called Nigeria”.
The youths, who reaffirmed their support for Jonathan’s administration, called on him to throw his hat in the race for the 2015 Presidential election.
They argued that it was the right of the Niger Delta people to have a non-negotiable second term in office.
The group also urged President Jonathan to formally declare to contest for a second term in office in response to the call of the Niger Delta people and Nigerians in general.
The youths also called on the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to terminate the contract for the construction of the Ofunama Road in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State and re-award same to a competent contractor.
They reiterated their demand for true federalism wherein the Niger Delta people would have control over their resources and pay royalty to the Federal Government.
