Breaking: Itsekiri Youths endorse Niger Delta Peoples Charter, weeks after signing of document by Ijaw Nation

Itsekiri Youths worldwide, under the auspices of Itsekiri National Youths Council, INYC, have endorsed the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, with the signing of the charter by President of INYC, Comrade Weyinmi Agbateyiniro in Warri, Delta State, Wednesday December 15.

Recall that the Agadagba X of Gbaraun Kingdom, HRM, King Frank Okiakpe, was the first representative of any ethnic nationality in the Niger Delta, to sign the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, when he appended his signature to the charter on behalf of Ijaw ethnic nationality, Thursday November 25 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

A former President of Nigeria Environmental Society, NES and elder statesman, Engr. Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu, had signed the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, on behalf of Rivers State, after Prof. Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa, signed same as Bayelsa State representative. 

In his remarks, shortly after signing the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, on behalf of Itsekiri youths, the INYC President, Comrade Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, said the endorsement of the charter, was part of consolidative engagement, to see how all critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta, will be mobilized, with a view to actualizing the proclamation intended to address the interests of all ethnic nationalities in the region.

President of Niger Delta Congress, NDC, Nubari Sataah, who was flanked by the National Secretary-General of NDC, Ochuko Henry and Chairman of Niger Delta Congress, Delta State Chapter, Comr. Destiny Noritsegho, expressed delight with the endorsement of the charter by Itsekiri youths, saying they look forward to all ethnic groups in the Niger Delta, speaking in one voice.

According to Sataah, four critical demands enshrined in the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, are: “An immediate assessment of the entire Niger Delta environment be made to determine the scale of devastation, any compensation(s) recommended by the above inquiry (National Conferences ) be paid speedily without delay, a complete cleanup of the entire Niger Delta region be carried out without delay and all monies received by the Nigerian government from the exploitation of crude oil and deprived the people of the Niger Delta, under the guise of ‘derivation formula’ be returned to the Niger Delta”.

Signing of the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, is expected to be done by representatives of the ethnic Nationalities that make up the Niger Delta, representatives of organizations in the Niger Delta as well as representatives from states that make up the region; Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

Ethnic Nationalities of the Niger Delta, under the aegis of Niger Delta Congress, NDC had on Friday October 8, at Ijaw House Complex, Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, adopted a charter of what they termed their inalienable rights, warning that failure by the Federal Government to adopt a constitution that captures these rights in the shortest possible time, would leave Niger Delta people with no option, “but to exercise our rights to self-determination as a people, independent of the Nigerian Federation”.

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