AREWA YOUTHS INTERVENE IN NIGER DELTA RECONCILATION

The leaders of the Arewa Youths in the country have lend their voice to the need to restore peace and stability in the Niger Delta so as to quicken the resolution of the national question through an all inclusive national healing and reconciliatory agenda.

This view was disclosed in Lagos today at the end of a consultative meeting between the national leadership of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, (AYCF) and members of its Rivers State Chapter.

While briefing the press at the end of the parley in Lagos, the national chairman of AYCF, Alhaji ShetimahYerima said t he recent Appeal Court Judgment on the ongoing legal battle over the eligibility of the incumbent Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia and his kinsman and former Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly, Rotimi Amaechi has again reinforced the position of concerned citizens that the former speaker should sheath his sword so as to aid the success of the ongoing reconciliatory process in the Niger Delta.

“Having being denied the Rivers PDP Gubernatorial Ticket after wining the primaries, one would have ordinarily argued for the nullification of the Omehia’s election in favour of Amaechi. But the earlier indictment of Amaechi by the EFCC for misappropriation of public funds during his eight years leadership of the House complicates Amaechi case” The Arewa Chieftain argued

Shetimah, who is also the coordinator of PRONACO Youth Forum, however stressed that it is the principled position of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) that every public official who steals from the public vault should be brought to justice and that for the on-going trial of ex-governors by the EFCC to be credible, it must be extended to others who held public offices at other levels.

The group also commended the Nigerian Judiciary particularly the Appeal Court for their unprecedented courage and forthright dispensation of justice in recent times and do hope that the judgment on the Rivers State gubernatorial position will encourage the EFCC to quickly move to substantiate their claim that Rotimi Amaechi misappropriated public funds.

“AYCF holds that public office holders who misappropriate finds should be brought to book and not allowed to run for higher offices as this will serve as deterrent to others” Shetimah declared.

The group also advised that since the court is deemed to have risen above partisanship in Rivers State by striking out Amaechi’s case, it is expected that the former speaker will shift the battle from the Appeal Court to clearing himself of allegations of financial misappropriation by allowing the reconciliatory process in the Niger Delta to succeed.

He also hinted at the occasion that some PRONACO leaders are set to visit the Niger Delta in pursuit of the ongoing advocacy of PRONACO to establish a truly federal constitution and peoples’ democracy in Nigeria. The PRONACO Chieftain however, clarified that the Peoples National Conference and the leaders of PRONACO have resolved to have a united Nigeria based on equity, justice and self determination for the various federating units of the country.