WARRI—President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday called off the commissioning of the $16bn Delta Gas City project in Delta State scheduled for today following a threat by the Ijaw of Gbaramatu kingdom to unleash violence if he went ahead.

Reports that the President, indeed, suspended the groundbreaking, the second time in six months, having deferred it earlier in June, ignited fresh controversy in the state, with many wondering what was really going on.

President Goodluck Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan
This came as Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, warned against bloodshed between the Ijaw and Itsekiri in Delta State over the Federal Government-owned Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project, now renamed Delta Gas City.

The Ijaw, claiming that the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project was named after an Itsekiri community, Ogidigben, whereas it was not exclusively located on an Itsekiri land, had severally sworn to disrupt the groundbreaking process, except the name was appropriately changed and acquisition formalities perfected with Ijaw co-owners of the land where the project is located.

President Jonathan, who announced his fresh intention to officially flag off the project at his declaration ceremony, Monday, in Abuja, surprisingly, reversed himself on Wednesday, despite re-assurance by the state government.

It was gathered that the Ijaw of Gbaramatu Kingdom renewed their objection to the groundbreaking between the time Jonathan announced his intention on Monday and Wednesday afternoon, prompting the president to shelve the plan.

Meanwhile, an Itsekiri leader and Ajuwaoyiboyami of Warri Kingdom, Delta State, Chief Ayiri Emami, has slammed President Jonathan for suspending the project. Chief Ayiri Emami, who was clearly disillusioned at the President’s action, said: “It is disheartening that President Jonathan is pandering to the selfish and clannish interest of some group of Ijaw persons in Gbaramtu Kingdom against the wider interest of the nation.”

However, an Ijaw youth activist in the forefront of the crusade for Jonathan not to perform the groundbreaking now, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, disagreed with Emami, saying the President needs to be commended for listening to the voice of the oppressed people of Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Emami told Vanguard that “this project has been on for almost a year without distraction. The Ijaw were carried along by Julius Berger of Nigeria, JBN, but because of the selfish interest of one person, Jonathan succumbed to threats to abort the groundbreaking again. The question I am asking is: ‘Are we safe under Jonathan if a project of such magnitude and importance to the nation will be toyed with because of the interests of few persons.’”

He accused ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, of using his influence to blackmail and intimidate people, warning that the continuous plan by Tompolo and his Ijaw brothers to deprive Itsekiri nation of what rightfully belongs to it was getting out of control.

Bebenimibo said: “I commend President Jonathan for listening to the voice of the oppressed people. Having postponed the groundbreaking again, my advice is that government should do the needful. It is not enough to say that the name has now been changed to Delta Gas City. The name of the project should be complete with the location of the project boldly proclaimed, and which we maintain should be Delta Gas City, Gbaramatu/Ogidigben.

“Besides, government should formally acquire the land from Gbaramatu people just as it did with the Itsekiri people. Mr. President should not come for the groundbreaking at all until all these issues are resolved. The project is also in our land and they should not act as if we are strangers. Jonathan should set up a high-powered committee to resolve the issues.”

After all, the Ijaw and Itsekiri have a common destiny, they are the ones laying the golden eggs and have been deprived of the benefits. I appeal to my Itsekiri brothers to understand our struggle. We should not kill ourselves before we forge a united front to fight our joint enemy.

source : http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/ijaws-threaten-jonathan-calls-epz-commissioning/

Trouble Trouble Everywhere in Nigeria.

Ayiri don chop excess money for EGTL , now he wants to eat again from EPZ..... Na wa ooo

At least this would creat job opportunity for most of the worldly boys in my area

Oyel money

oyel is tha u?

Na wao . . . these guys should let peace to reign.

No wonder bokoharam will never end. When the president is listening to cheap threats from some unscrupulous elements.

Protest over Delta Epz groundbreaking ceremony: Itsekiri accuse Jonathan of ethnic bigotry

By Egufe Yafugborhi

ITSEKIRIS in Delta state have accused President Goodluck Jonathan of encouraging Ijaw agenda to exterminate them following the violent threats from Ijaws of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Area of Delta state which aborted the Tuesday’s scheduled groundbreaking ceremony for the $16bn Ogidigben EPZ project by the President.

President Goodluck Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan
In a briefing yesterday in Warri by Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, the ethnic group in Delta said they were ready to approach the United Nations to seek secession and opt for protection under the United Kingdom or United States in line with treaties signed with these foreign powers long before Nigeria’s independence which they claim have not been abrogated.

The decision read by Secretary to the ILT, Edward Ekpoko noted, “Itsekiri and other well meaning Nigerians are surprised at the failure of President Goodluck Jonathan to commission the groundbreaking for the EPZ at Ogidigben, Ugborodo in Warri South West Local Government area due to threats of Ijaw militants mostly of Gbaramatu kingdom.

“The EPZ is completely cited in Ogidigben, an Itsekiri town. The closest Ijaw enclave lying to the South, Yokiri, is about 14km from Ogidigben. The other town to the North is Kpokpo. This Kpokpo has no geographical contiguity with Ogidigben.’’.

Pa J. O.S Ayomike, Chairman of the ILT, in their remarks said various court injunctions by courts of competent jurisdiction held on the land ownership tussle in the area support the fact that the entire land space currently occupied by the Ijaw of Gbaramatu is owned by Itsekiris of Ugborodo.

“President Jonathan’s refusal to perform the groundbreaking ceremony of the project as fixed for Friday was a show of cowardice unexpected of his office which should stand for the rule of law. He has shown that he has joined the Ijaw militants in building fences among the ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta and Nigeria.

“Jonathan should know that Itsekiri the world over will go to the UN to request for secession if Jonathan and Ijaw want to pursue the extermination of the Itsekiri people. We will ask for the protection of the Britain and USA and the United Nations”, Ayomike, an octogenarian screamed.

Ekpoko added that, “Jonathan is pursuing an Ijaw agenda. We will resist it and will never be intimidated by threats of war and genocide against the Itsekiri.”

The Itsekiri leaders also took a swipe at Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, calling him to resign as Governor following his failed boast that nobody can stop Jonathan from coming for the EPZ groundbreaking.

Ayomike said, “Jonathan has been stopped by the Ijaw. They have belittled Uduaghan . Uduaghan boasted that he was governor and that nobody could stop the president from coming. Now that his boasting did not yield any result, he should resign like President Nixon did.

“Jonathan has been intimidated by the militants, and the Ijaws have grown in fame and importance so they can control everything, including the president of Nigeria.’’.

Meanwhile, the Ijaws of Gbaramatu speaking through Paul Bebenimibo have maintained their position to see that the EPZ never materialises until Gbaramatu stakes are as defineds.

Bebenimibo in a phone reaction yesterday said, “Gbaramatu Ijaws are not at war with their Itsekiri neighbors. Our leaders are simply saying what is good for the goose is good for the gander. We own a large proportion of the EPZ. We do not deserve to be shut out. Equity is the password to a successful EPZ. Equity begets peace. You cannot talk peace in the atmosphere of injustice and oppression.

source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/protest-delta-epz-groundbreaking-ceremony-itsekiri-accuse-jonathan-ethnic-bigotry/

Why am I not surprised
A President that cannot see beyond tribal/ethnic lines will always end up making decisions that'll end up dividing rather than bringing 2gda.

It's really disappointing n embarrassing that our President will allow himself easily b threatened, cajoled, tossed around like this.
He is the President of Nigeria, NOT an Ijaw man.

dBard:
Why am I not surprised
A President that cannot see beyond tribal/ethnic lines will always end up making decisions that'll end up dividing rather than bringing 2gda.

It's really disappointing n embarrassing that our President will allow himself easily b threatened, cajoled, tossed around like this.
He is the President of Nigeria, NOT an Ijaw man.

sharrap! when amaechi accused him of this same thing,wet in you talk? oil wells were given to bayelsa. wetin you talk? no vex me this morning o! otherwise I go enter motor begin come st Johns now now to slap some sense into you.

phantom:

sharrap! when amaechi accused him of this same thing,wet in you talk? oil wells were given to bayelsa. wetin you talk? no vex me this morning o! otherwise I go enter motor begin come st Johns now now to slap some sense into you.

Dude..I've told u time n time again,if u want to do drugs , buy the proper stuffs,stop sniffing cheap,adulterated shit.
It bleeps up your brain like its done that of your L&M (Amaechi).
Secondly, let's forget that Amaechi was talking blabberdash, n his claim was proved to be unfounded by d boundary adjustment commission, how does d 2 situations relate Aren't they both I jaws?

Oya...slap yourself.
Pussy

Thank God the groundbreaking commission of the project live on 15/01/2015.goodluck for 2015

Hehehe... lol..
The same divide and conquer strategy Yoruba and Hausa have been using against Igbo vs. minorities of the east.
They are now using minority against Ijaw.

If they like, let them vote Buhari, I don bloodi kia!

Dem go get sense very soon after north grabs power.