The youths, who were reacting to a publication by Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) in Vanguard that it had affirmed Idehen’s nomination, distanced Bini youths from the publication, asserting that as “far as the exalted office of the representative of Niger Delta Development Commission is concerned, no strangers or visitors either based in Edo or Ondo State can decide for the Binis.

Ihonbvere, who commended the South-South governors for their decision, told Vanguard in Benin City that “the issues they (governors) raised were very critical and could not be ignored. The issue of down-grading PTI and then voting over 14 billion Naira for another university in Kaduna, to me, is provocative. Any person from the South-South must see it that way. The PTI was already moving towards establishing itself as a full university.

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman, defended the assault on the sensibilities of the hurting peoples of the Niger Delta. He said upgrading the PTI to a university was unnecessary, but justified the same status for the Kaduna College. What insensitivity, what double standards!

Muhammad Sani Abacha, in an encounter with news-men in Kano, explained that he is going into politics to first understudy the situa-tion, pointing out that his findings will determine the likely areas of improvement. He, however, declined to reveal his choice party out of the numerous registered political parties in the country.

“I don’t think that there has been very much positive response. I think one way of dealing with the issue is for you to go close to the market where it is being sold. Then the crime stops. People are stealing the oil to sell. If you are waiting for them in the market and they can’t sell it. There is nothing for them to do with it,” Ajumogobia said.