The President of Azikel Group, Dr Eruani Azibapu, has said he will no longer entertain any intervention from the Ijaw Youth Council over the ongoing civil and criminal cases involving Mr Kariya Daukoru.
Azibapu stated this in a statement issued by the Lead Spokesperson, Office of the President of Azikel Group, Mr Austin Ebibade, in reaction to recent reports and social media commentaries on the matter.
He confirmed that the national leadership of the IYC had visited and communicated with him over the litigations, but said he expressly cautioned the council against asking Daukoru to withdraw his civil suit or tender an apology.
According to him, the Azikel Group had always encouraged the IYC to allow Dakoru to pursue his civil case against the company and its President to its logical and judicial conclusion.
The statement read, “The Office of the President of Azikel Group and Dr Eruani Azibapu, CFR, acknowledges communication, interactions and visitation by the national leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council about criminal and civil litigations in court.
“The President did expressly caution the IYC leadership as they seek to intervene and specifically warned the IYC leadership to neither ask Kariya Daukoru to withdraw his civil case nor apologise.”
Azibapu said the clarification became necessary following what he described as misrepresentation of facts by some family writers on social media after the IYC’s press statement.
He added that following the outburst, the Azikel Group would not welcome further interaction with the IYC on the issue.
“All civil and criminal matters with regard to this subject must henceforth be concluded in the courtroom,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the IYC Worldwide, in an earlier statement by its National Secretary, Dr Ayebakuro Igbeta Itari, said its intervention was aimed at securing a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
Itari said the 10th National Executive Council led by Dr Doubra Collins Okotete had engaged both Eruani, Daukoru, their representatives and the Bayelsa State Government to de-escalate the matter and halt planned protests by affiliate groups.
He said the council’s initial objective was to appeal to Eruani to consider withdrawing the criminal defamation and cyberstalking proceedings to allow for Daukoru’s release from Kuje Correctional Centre, while allowing the substantive civil dispute to continue in court.
According to him, Eruani had said he would consider withdrawing the criminal case if Daukoru showed remorse and tendered a public apology through the same channels where the alleged defamatory publications were made.
Itari said the IYC delegation also visited Daukoru in Kuje on August 21 and briefed him on its engagements, adding that Dakoru maintained he did not defame Eruani and would not apologise on terms he did not accept.
He said the IYC had concluded that it could not compel either party to accept settlement, but remained committed to dialogue and peaceful resolution.
“The 10th NEC is not driven by emotions, sentiments or partisan interests. Our position is simple: we want peace, justice, reconciliation and the protection of Ijaw lives,” Itari said.
