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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Ijaw youths have expressed their anger on the South South politicians nursing ambitions to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platforms of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group also commended the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for his public declaration of his interest to contest the presidential ticket of his party (PDP).
The youths, under the auspices of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), said the attitude of politicians from their domain towards grabbing the presidential tickets of their political parties smacked of pretentiousness and lightheartedness.
The IYC President, Peter Timothy Igbifa, in a statement in Port Harcourt, said the youths’ anger was directed at the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; former president Goodluck Jonathan; Transport Minister, Chibuike Amaechi; Petroleum Minister (State), Timipre Sylva; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele; oil magnate and founder of Belemaoil Producing Limited, Tein Jack-Rich. Igbifa said as the political clock ticked away and the presidential primaries of the two major political parties are drawing closer, it was disheartening that none of the above-mentioned personalities had mustered courage to make public their interests to contest the tickets.
He said Wike declared his interest despite attempts by northern political leaders in the PDP to intimidate him and corner the ticket for their zone.
“We are happy that Wike has blazed the trail. He, no doubt, has a bragging right for the PDP ticket. His courageous declaration has silenced what we perceived to be organised intimidation from the PDP political leaders from the North.”
