Tension is in the air in Bayelsa, home state of immediate past Nigerian president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Reason: The Kaima Declaration scheduled to be made today by dissident Ijaw youths. Kaima Declaration usually centres on the Ijaw agitation for self determination and resource control. It was the main spark of the Niger Delta militancy which analysts fear may rear its head again with the loss of the country’s presidency by Ijaw son Jonathan, who was defeated by Muammadu Buhari during the March 28 presidential election.  

In a statement issued in the wee hours of today, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone called on youths of the zone to disregard and stay away from a purported congress meeting of the IYC scheduled for today in Kaiama, Headquarters of Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area.

The Chairman of IYC Zone, Bobolayefa Owoupele, in the statement condemned the said meeting in its entirety, describing it as “illegal and capable of derailing and undermining the rejuvenation efforts of the Ijaw nation, after the sad defeat of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in the last presidential election.”

According to him, congress meetings of the IYC, central zone are supposed to be convened by him, in conjunction with relevant officers of the IYC “and not by faceless individuals, who do not mean well for the government and the people of the state.”

“The police has been informed of the proposed illegal congress meeting; the youths should therefore stay away and not allow themselves to be used by persons, who are only out to exploit them for their selfish political ambitions,” Owoupele said in the statement, a copy of which was e-mailed to News Express.”

The IYC Central zonal chairman added that, the action is a direct affront on Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation, especially when the Ijaw nation is seeking greater relevance in the polity.