By Ovasa Ogaga,
Former Minister for the Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has said that ahead of 2027 general election Ijaws in Delta APC will no longer play second fiddles, rather that they will demand for what is rightly due to the Ijaw people in APC.
Elder Orubebe a chieftain of the APC in Delta State stated during a meeting of Delta Ijaw All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders, hosted at his country home in Obobagbene, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, over the weekend, tasked Ijaws to speak with one voice.
Addressing the stakeholders before the meeting went into a closed-door session, Elder Godsday Orubebe urged Delta Ijaw APC leaders to close ranks and build a stronger bond to advance Ijaw interests. He stressed that the Ijaw people must demand their rightful share in the political space, particularly during the upcoming State Congress of the party.
According to Orubebe, “Delta Ijaws in APC must unite and speak with one voice. No one can fight for the interests of the Ijaws better than an Ijaw person. Come 2027, we will demand what is due to the Ijaw people. We will no longer be dictated to from outside Ijaw.”
The Delta Ijaw APC stakeholders also applauded President Bola Tinubu for awarding the pipeline surveillance security contract to Tantita Security Services Ltd and for appointing Ijaws to significant government positions.
They praised the appointments of Dr. Denis Otuaro as Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Program and Barr. Bosin Ebikeme as Chairman of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority. These gestures, according to the stakeholders, reflect the President’s commitment to inclusivity and the development of the Niger Delta region.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Dr. Felix Tuodolo commended President Tinubu for awarding the pipeline surveillance contract to Tantita Security Services Ltd. He expressed confidence in Tantita’s effective execution of the job, which has contributed to reducing crude oil theft and boosting the country’s crude oil production.
Key resolutions reached at the meeting included:
"To work together as a united Ijaw people to maximize their population advantage as the most populous ethnic group in Delta State.
"To commend President Tinubu for his pragmatic steps in repositioning the country.
"To acknowledge the appointment of Delta Ijaw individuals, such as Dr. Denis Otuaro and Barr. Bosin Ebikeme, while requesting further recognition and appointments for the Ijaw people.
"To ensure unity among Ijaws in the APC to secure victory in the 2027 general elections and guarantee a rightful place for the Ijaws in the party’s State Congress."
Prominent Delta Ijaw APC leaders who signed the resolution included Hon. Paul Azorbo Amabiri, Delta State APC Auditor; Hon. Napoleon Kenerekedi, Delta State APC Youth Leader; Tinaka Kayode, Bomadi LGA APC Chairman; Julius Oruma, Patani LGA APC Chairman; and Seikemeingha Moni, Burutu LGA APC Chairman.
Others included Hon. Chief Mike Seikegba, Dr. Felix Tuodolo, Hon. Barr. Raymos Guanah, Hon. Barr. Dr. Timi Tonye, Chief Barr. Bosin Ebikeme, Chief Dan Ekpebide, and Madam Beauty Warejuowei, Delta State APC Assistant Treasurer.
The meeting underscored the importance of unity and collective effort in advancing the political and developmental interests of Delta Ijaw communities within the APC.
