President Muhammadu Buhari, is set stakeholders in Niger Delta, especially governors, and elders from the Niger Delta as part of efforts to end ongoing activities of the Niger Delta Avengers.
The President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Mr. Udens Eradiri, who confirmed the development at the weekend said the Presidency contacted some of the elders and stakeholders to inform them of the meeting, adding that the gathering of the stakeholders to deliberate on the crisis and the way forward will take place very soon.
He commended President Buhari for heeding the advice of the IYC which had on many occasions called on him to take the driving seat in resolving the crisis in the region.
He insisted that the issues and problems in the region required direct intervention by the President adding that Ijaw youths would not be part of any dialogue without the President in attendance.
“We want to commend the President because I heard from the grapevine from one of our formost governor and leader of Ijaw land this morning when he said they had been invited by the President for an engagement with respect to the Niger Delta crises.
“So, I want to commend the President for hearing our cry and for taking the right approach because there is no other approach than what the President has decided to do.
“Mr. President is a very meticulous man who keeps a lot of things to his chest and Nigerian and people who are always around take advantage of his silence and misinterpret the body language of Mr President in various ways.
“That body language that has been misinterpreted has created a lot of confusion that has further worsen the situation in Niger Delta. Therefore we thank God Mr President will be coming out boldly to address the issues and body language will no longer be misrepresented.
“We want to thank the president for that bold steps and look forward to the right leaders going to sit down with the President to properly articulate the position of Niger Delta”.
Eradiri said the Ijaw would continue to advocate for true federalism and restructuring as the permanent solutions to issues affecting different parts of the country, maintaining that restructuring would solve the problems of Fulani herdsmen, constant attacks on pipelines, agitation for Biafria and other matters arising from the lopsidedness of the Nigerian state.
