By Divine Perezide

Abuja, Nigeria – July 2025:

In a decisive step towards enhancing leadership effectiveness and deepening peace efforts in the Niger Delta, the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief Dr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro, has flagged off a three-day intensive training session in Abuja.

The programme, organised in partnership with the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), is taking place at the NARC complex in Asokoro and is tailored to empower key stakeholders from the Niger Delta with strategic peacebuilding.

Themed “Leadership, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Mediation, ” the training seeks to develop the knowledge, skills, and Attitudes (KSAs) required for participants to play active roles in conflict management and community-level Mediation. The initiative is expected to strengthen the leadership capacity of participants while promoting sustainable peace and social harmony in the region.

Speaking on the essence of the initiative, officials of the Amnesty Programme noted that the training reflects the renewed focus of Chief Dr. Otuaro’s administration on community empowerment and the the prevention of conflict through dialogue and nonviolent engagement.

“This programme is a vital step in building responsible, proactive leadership within the Niger Delta,” a PAP spokesperson remarked. “It’s about equipping our people not just with skills, but with the mindset to foster peace and drive development.”

The training also underscores the Amnesty Office’s commitment to broadening the scope of post-conflict reintegration efforts beyond economic development by institutionalizing community-driven peace strategies.

Participants included community leaders, youth influences, and stakeholders drawn from various Niger Delta communities who are expected to return home with practical tools to mediate disputes and foster collaboration.

The initiative aligns with PAP’s broader vision to consolidate peace gains and stimulate economic development through a culture of dialogue, leadership accountability, and conflict transformation.

Sponsored:

GbaramatuVoice, a leading award-wining media outlet in the Niger Delta, is set to celebrate a decade of impactful storytelling and journalism with a two-day event to be held on August 27 and 28, 2025, at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja. This milestone celebration will include a high-profile Public Lecture and the much-anticipated Niger Delta Night of Honour, both designed to highlight the platform’s dedication to advocating for the Niger Delta development, cultural identity, and social justice.

The Public Lecture on Wednesday, August 27, will kick off at 10:30 am and focus on the theme: “Gaps and Silences in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Economy: Appraisal of Resource Control, Security and Media Dynamics.” This lecture will bring together key stakeholders from various sectors, including government officials, oil and gas industry leaders, international oil companies (IOCs), security experts, diplomats, academics, and media professionals. The goal is to open up an honest dialogue about ongoing challenges in the Niger Delta, specifically around resource control, national integration, environmental justice, and the pivotal role the media plays in these issues.

“We’ve spent ten years covering the stories of oil, conflict, justice, and survival that often go unheard in mainstream narratives,” said the organizers. “This lecture aims to shed light on those silences and bring them to the forefront.”

The Niger Delta Night of Honour, taking place on Thursday, August 28, will follow in the evening, beginning with a red carpet reception at 4:00 pm, and the main ceremony at 5:00 pm. This glamorous event is dedicated to honoring individuals, institutions and cultural figures who have made significant contributions to the progress, peace, and identity of the Niger Delta. The night will feature awards, cultural performances, and special recognitions for those who have shaped the region’s development.

Mr. Jacob Abai, the Publisher and CEO of GbaramatuVoice, emphasized that this anniversary represents more than just a media milestone; it is a reflection of the organization’s purpose-driven journey. “This celebration marks ten years of courage, truth, and culture. We have been a voice, telling stories of resilience and challenging power while inspiring progress in our region,” Mr. Abai stated. “Our mission has always been to amplify the voices of the marginalized and document the rich heritage of the Niger Delta.”

The event will also feature impressive lineup of guest speakers, panelists, award recipients, and entertainers, with further details to be disclosed in the coming weeks.  Dignitaries expected to attend include traditional rulers, governors, senators, leaders from oil-producing communities, and key players in diplomacy, civil society, and media development.

Organizers are inviting stakeholders, sponsors, the well-wishers to participate in this historic occasion. For participation, sponsorships, or media partnerships, interested parties can contact 0803 089 1146 or 0814 345 9986, or email info@gbaramatuvoicenews.com

Founded in 2015,GbaramatuVoice has grown into a leading pan-Niger Delta media organization, with a strong presence in print, digital, and television broadcasting. The platform remains committed to bridging the gap between the oil-rich communities of the Niger Delta and the rest of Nigeria, as well as the international community, with a focus on advocacy, cultural identity, and developmental journalism.

Credit: Channels Television of Facebook.

IYC to INEC: “Implement Delineation Report Without Delay, Ignore External Distractions”

By Favour Bibaikefie

Warri, Nigeria – July 16, 2025: The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has issued a strong worded statement condemning a recent call by the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) for the reversal of the Ward Delineation exercise been undertaken by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Warri Federal Constituency. Reacting to comments credited to the OPC Publicity Secretary, Yinka Oguntimehin, the National Spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Amb. Dr. Princewill Yerin Binebai, described the statement as reckless, provocative, and an unwarranted interference in Niger Delta Affairs. The council maintained that INEC was only executing a valid Supreme Court judgment and warned the OPC to stay within its bounds,asserting that Warri and it’s political processes are not under Yoruba jurisdiction.

Read details of the press release below:

Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide Press Statement.

July 16, 2025

Wards Delineation In Warri: IYC Warns OPC, Want Urgent Implementation Of INEC Field Report

The attention of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has been drawn to a certain provocative, reckless, and senseless statement credited to one of the supposed revered Yoruba sociocultural organisation under the auspices of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), wherein it dared to urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reverse the Wards Delineation exercise in Warri Federal Constituency, Delta State via a publication authored by Yinka Oguntimehin, Publicity Secretary of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) recently on national dailies. This audacious statement has ignited a tempest of concern within our organisation, compelling us to respond with utmost urgency and clarity.

Ordinarily, it is not in our interest to respond to every Tom, Dick, and Harry, but because this is coming from a supposed respected organisation in Yoruba land, it is crucial that the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide respond to put the misleading and false information peddled by the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in proper perspective. We are dismayed that the OPC, once a beacon of credibility and enviable status in Yoruba land, has descended to this lamentable level of speaking without an informed position and sadistically displaying crass ignorance on the issue astake, a development that is both distressing and perturbing.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is merely carrying out a Supreme Court judgment, a sacrosanct directive that brooks no interference or manipulation. It is not a tool to be directed by the Oodua Peoples Congress on when and how to reverse or carry out an already concluded Ward Delineation exercise in Warri. The OPC must know its limits and boundaries in Nigeria, respecting the Niger Delta and Ijaw areas, where they have no business to meddle.

The Oodua Peoples Congress must understand that the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide will not continue to take such careless and provocative remarks from the OPC going forward. We will not be swayed by empty rhetoric or veiled threats, and we will steadfastly defend our rights and interests.

It is essential to reiterate that the INEC field report was conducted with the full participation of all Ijaw, Urhobo, and Itsekiri representatives in the Warri Federal Constituency, a process characterised by fairness, transparency, and credibility. The outcome of this exercise is a testament to the efficacy of inclusive and participatory governance.

Warri and indeed the entire Delta State are peaceful, with no tension regarding the outcome of the delineation. The Federal Government’s efforts in apprehending those who attempted to smuggle guns into our state to cause trouble have been commendable. We call on the Federal Government to pursue the gun smuggling matter to its logical conclusion, ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice.

We make it clear that whatever the Itsekiris were enjoying in Warri Federal Constituency prior to the Supreme Court judgment is nothing but fraud and non-existent now. The Ijaws will never accept going back to the old exploitative and manipulative arrangement, which was characterised by injustice and inequity. We must respect the independence of INEC and the rule of law in this country, upholding the principles of fairness and justice.

Nigeria is not a banana republic, where the rule of law is trampled upon with impunity. Counter-publications from the Itsekiris and OPC, threatening fire and brimstone, will not hold water in this case, as their reactions lack substance and truth. We will not be intimidated by such tactics, and we will continue to advocate for justice and fairness.

The Niger Delta region is not under the jurisdiction of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) or the Yoruba people. The IYC wonders at the audacity, impunity, and temerity with which the OPC is speaking regarding Warri Federal Constituency, Delta State. No amount of connivance will be allowed to suppress justice and the independence of INEC.

There is no single community in the INEC field report on the Warri Federal Constituency wards delineation exercise within the Ijaw territories that does not belong to the Ijaws in Warri South West, Warri South, and Warri North. This is a fact that is evident to all, and we will not allow it to be distorted or manipulated.

While the Ijaws have never interfered with the excellent work INEC is doing, it is our call that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must not delay any further in implementing the drafted field report. We urge INEC to uphold its independence and impartiality, ensuring that justice is served and the rights of all parties are respected.

Signed,

Amb (Dr) Binebai Yerin Princewill

Spokesman, Ijaw Youth Council

Reaffirming it’s stance, the IYC called on the INEC to proceed without further delays in implementing the delineation report, describing the exercise as fair, inclusive, and representative of all ethnic groups in Warri Federal Constituency. The council also lauded Federal Security efforts in curbing recent attempts to destabilize the region and emphasized that no amount of external pressure or threats would deter the Ijaw people from pursuing justice. “The era of manipulation is over” the statement read. “We will resist all attempts reverse hard-won gains and remain resolute in defending the dignity, rights, and political equity of the Ijaw nation”