July 26, (THEWILL) – There is a raging crisis rocking the fold of the Mobile Parliament of the Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, following the alleged attempts by the Speaker, Comrade Bob Collins, to instigate an impeachment proceeding against the President of the Council, Deacon Timothy Igbifa, over alleged non-performance.
While the Speaker, Comrade Bob Collins, is leading a few members to launch an impeachment process against Igbifa, others who have formed the Mobile Parliament Integrity Group have kicked against the impeachment plot and warned Mobile Parliament Speaker, Bob Collins and his cohorts, against attempts to destabilise Ijaw Youths council.
The Integrity Group described the attempts by Comrade Bob Collins to destabilise the 8th National Executive Council (NEC) of the IYC, led by Deacon Timothy Igbifa, as laughable and dead on arrival.
According to the group, while it’s true that the Igbifa-led exco has not been able to meet up to the expectations of all, it’s not correct to say you’ve not recorded some commendable achievements through the ongoing free ICT skills acquisition program, where over three hundred youths will build their capacities in computer appreciation, programming, and coding, with other empowerment programs and the defence of Ijaw national interest.
A member of the Integrity group, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen that as members of the IYC Mobile parliament, the Speaker, Comrade Bob Collins’ attempts failed, as he could not muster the needed numbers of parliamentarians needed to launch such an ignoble act and have failed to follow the right procedures to convene a proper sitting of the parliament”, any resolution therein is illegal, criminal, null and void.”
The group noted that “Instead of heating up the Ijaw Nation’s polity, what is important now is the unity and stability of the Council in the remaining one year of Peter Igbifa-led exco and any attempt to impeach the President as Bob Collins and his cohorts are planning, will be resisted and will further result to the protracted crisis in the IYC that will hinder smooth transition of government.
“We call on Bob Collins to remain in his Western Zone and desist from using the Central Zone as his base to incite parliamentarians against the 8th NEC and cause disaffection amongst brothers and friends, while his Western Zone is calm. We are aware of Bob Collins’ selfish agenda and his desperation to become Acting President if he succeeds in his evil plan.”
The group also accused Bob Collins and his cohorts of holding illegal meetings in Tamara Hotel, Otiotio road, Yenagoa, and urged security agencies to be on red alert, as their clandestine meetings and illegal attempts to destabilise the Council may lead to a breakdown of law and order in Bayelsa and the entire region.
“Instead of fanning the ember of division and violence among Ijaw Youths in the region, the Speaker of the Mobile Parliament should up his game and show capacity as a legislator by leading his parliament to study the controversial water Resources Bill, before the National Assembly and come out with a position. The Legislative arm of the IYC should also be seen taking mobile legislators on a field trip to study conventional legislative Assemblies in the country to discuss and legislate laws that will promote and support the capacity of the executive arm of the IYC, instead, the only function Bob Collins attends is burials, child dedication, and birthday ceremonies.
“Clearly, he has no legislative agenda and therefore, lacks the locus to question the leadership of others who are doing better than him.”
They cautioned him to use his privileged office as Speaker of the Parliament to promote unity, make laws for the smooth running of the Council, and stop waiting to be spoon-fed by the president.
They said any further attempt to destabilise the peace and unity in the IYC will not be tolerated, as they will be left with no choice, but to collate signatures of the majority of parliamentarians who are tired of his obsolete leadership style and move for his impeachment as Speaker.
On the crisis rocking the Eastern Zone of the IYC, they expressed sadness and condemned the actions of all parties. They opined strongly that what is important now is for the National Executive Council to immediately activate a Constitutional Convention, adopt a new constitution that will address the leadership impasse in the Eastern Zone, and also regulate the activities of all organs of the Council. This they say will put to rest the leadership tussle of the Eastern zone, instead of the purported illegal committee Bob Collins and his cohorts constituted, which will only add more salt to the injury.
