Controversy as IYC Spits Fire over Senate’s Move to Make Sultan of Sokoto, Ooni of Ife Co-Chairs of Traditional Rulers Council

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has vehemently opposed and rejected a bill in the Senate seeking to permanently make the Sultan of Sokoto and the Ooni of Ife as Co-Chairmen of the National Traditional Rulers Council.

IYC, in a statement by its spokesman, Amb (Dr) Binebai Yerin Princewill, said that senators must crutinise their bills before presenting them, so as not to heat up the polity.

The statement held that senators and lawmakers at any level must not be seen promoting and making moves to enslave other ethnic groups in Nigeria, undermining the unity of Nigeria, intentionally going against federal character as well as trying to put the sacred and once revered Senate to question by Nigerians.

The statement reads in parts, “It baffles the IYC that of all the multifaceted issues bedeviling Nigeria, ranging from insecurity, hardship faced by Nigerians, high cost of living as well as governance, the Senate could only be seen entertaining a bill that seek to divide Nigeria the more and to question the supremacy of other tribes in Nigeria. This is totally wrong and unacceptable.

“The Ijaw ethnic nationality is one of the oldest tribe in Nigeria with highly revered Kings ruling over the different Kingdoms of the Ijaws in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Akwa-Ibom, Edo and Ondo States, our kings are not inferior to other kings in Nigeria. Lawmakers should be mindful of the kind of bills they sponsor in Country.

“This bill is not only careless and senseless but it is provocative, misplaced, divisive and highly unconstitutional. As Ijaws, we will resist it, where is the one Nigeria that we are talking about in this country?

“As a country, we must do things rightly not to undermine any ethnic group in this country, Nigeria is not for only few people or two ethnic groups. In totality , we reject this bill as it is an element of neocolonization within Nigeria.

“Our demand as Ijaw people is that if such a bill will see the light of the day, the position must reflect all traditional rulers from all ethnic groups across the country such as the Ijaws, Hausas, Igbos, Urhobos and what have you, every ethnic group must be represented since no ethnic group is under any ethnic group in this country.

“Finally, it is our call to the Senate that they must not continue with that unfriendly bill, the bill should be withdrawn and there should be no further debate on the bill if it cannot carry every ethnic group along”.