The electoral committee of the Ijaw youth council (IYC), Abuja chapter has called on the Inspector general of police( IGP), the Director of State Security Service ( DSS), and other relevant security agencies to call the National President of IYC, Mr. Peter Igbifa Timothy to order to avert breach of public peace during the election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The election of the Council is expected to hold in Abuja, on 17th of October, 2020.
- IYC wants OML-30 contract handed over to ex-agitators
- NDDC: ‘Forensic Audit Will Expose ‘Enemies’ Of Niger-Delta’
The Chairman of the electoral committee, Abuja Chapter, Etifa Jonathan, at a press conference in Abuja accused the National president of intervening in the electoral process.
Jonathan said he was persistently pestered by Igbifa to obey his orders to superimpose some persons as members of the electoral committee but refused.
Jonathan said, “Although, we had an unfortunate interjection by the president of the council, Peter Timothy Igbifa who instead of allowing the electoral committee to continue its work sort to superimpose some persons in the electoral committee by issuing a unilateral order that is non-existent in the history of IYC worldwide.
“Consequently, he held a meeting with some persons purported to be stakeholders, where he made a declaration that he had removed me and some members of the electoral committee and that he is substituting us with other persons. This development did not go down well with members present at the said meeting, leading to an outbreak of violence, distraction of properties and physical exchange of blows at the meeting.”
“I call on those parading themselves as parallel electoral committee to desist from such aberrational and illegal practices aimed at disuniting and factionalising the IYC, Abuja chapter, leading to causing more chaos and breach of public peace in the Abuja metropolis.
When contacted by Daily Trust, the President of IYC, Mr. Peter Igbifa denied the allegations leveled against him saying the Etifa Jonathan led committee had been sacked for ‘selling forms to aspirants as against the agreement to give out the forms to every interested aspirants for free.
“How can people go for election and because of money people who have the leadership qualities cannot even participate? I advised that the forms to participate in the election should be issued free that the National Secretariat of the IYC would make funds available for them to conduct the election. I warned him that if he goes behind to do anything to the contrary, he’ll be sacked. He went behind by taking money from people to sell form.
“The people who have good intent to lead our people at the Abuja chapter but do not have money could not buy the form. So, he abused the privilege given to him and he was sacked.”
“We cannot be crying that we are oppressed and we ourselves continue to oppress people. some people cannot constitute themselves into moneybags to cage others away.” He said
He maintained that he was not interested in who becomes the Chairman of the Council at the Chapter but a level playing ground should be given to all aspirants.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
