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Aso Rock Is Tending Civil War With Controversial ‘Water Resources Bill’, IYC Alleges
The Nigeria Government is trying to push the country toward a potential civil war with the plans to reintroduce an executive bill on water resources to the national assembly, foremost Ijaw youth organisation, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, has alleged.
BIGPEN Online recalls that the 8th senate had tackled the executive arm of government over the proposed bill and later stood it down following widespread backlashes and condemnation that trailed it.
But IYC says, “The controversial Water Resources Bill which was stood down at the National Assembly by the 8th Senate we heard is rearing it ugly face in the 9th Senate, adding that the executive arm is doing everything possible to send the Bill back to the National Assembly.
Pereotubo Oweilaemi, Esq., National President, IYC worldwide, who stated this in a statement on Wednesdsay, accused the federal government of playing with the intelligence of Nigerians.
He said that the Southern Nigeria people whom the bill may likely affect most, would do everything lawful to resist the passage of that “inimical Bill which tends to colonise us”.
“This should not be another petroleum laws that have denied the Niger Delta people from controlling the petroleum resources in our land.
“Through legislative rascality with military fiat, the Federal Government of Nigeria enacted inimical and obnoxious laws to economically colonise Niger Delta people.
“Today, we are suffering from this neocolonialism.
“We sensed that the Government of Nigeria is surreptitiously reintroducing the botched cattle colony or ruga settlement.
“This is a slap on our collective resolve to live in a united Nigeria. We think that the FG is putting the unity of Nigeria in jeopardy if it continues to push for this ruga settlement either expressly or impliedly.
“We will not allow any law to take away our riparian rights over our rivers. Such will be resisted with all vigour.
‘We are calling on the National Assembly to reject this controversial Bill once again. They hold the ace to the survival of the Country.
“The passage of this Bill will put Nigeria in turmoil.
“Therefore, Lawmakers from the entire southern Nigeria, especially those from the South South Geo-Political zone should resist every attempt to pass the said Water Resources Bill at the National Assembly.
“The lawmakers should know they are primarily representing their constituents at the two Chambers. Our position herein is the collective views of the people they represent”, the statement added.