Rivers Political Crisis: Tinubu’s Intervention Is Faulty, An Open Hatred On Ijaws – IYC

By Rejoice Egbaseimokumor

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has stated that the Intervention of President Bola Tinubu on the Rivers State poltical Crisis between His Excellency, Sir Siminalaye Fubara, Governor of Rivers State and Barr. Nyesom Wike, Minister Federal Capital Territory is faulty, describing it as an exhibition of open hatred against the Ijaws.

The Ijaw Youths made the position known to newsmen in Warri yesterday via a statement issued by Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill, Spokesman of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspapers Worldwide.

The statement reads in full below:

Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide

Press Statement

20/12/2023

President Tinubu’s Intervention On Wike, Fubara Feud, A Rape On Democracy, Open Hatred On The Ijaws

Following the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the political crisis that has engulfed Rivers State in the last few months between Barr. Nyesom Wike, Minister Federal Capital Territory and His Excellency, Sir Siminalaye Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide want to thank President Bola Tinubu for his intervention on the lingering crisis by listening to the voice of Niger Deltans including the Ijaw Youth Council.

While as a Council, we are appreciating President Tinubu for his intervention, we are still wondering if it was an intervention or a move well planned and orchestrated to further undermine, humiliate and frustrate the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalaye Fubara.
We are completely backing the position of our father, Sen. Dr. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, leader of PANDEF by reemphasing that the said intervention of Tinubu who is supposed to play a fatherly role as President of the country on this matter has clearly demonstrated his unbridled hatred against the Ijaws with his biased eight (8) point resolutions.

A point must be made known that Nigeria is not a banana republic where things are done outside the Constitution, the rule of law must prevail. President Tinubu must know that this is democracy and not a military regime where decisions are taken without following constitution. We cannot seat down and watch our democracy bleeding under Tinubu. At the moment, our democracy is wobbling and in limbo.

Considering the political impasse in Rivers State, we have all called for the intervention of President Tinubu to broker peace but it has become very worrisome and frightening to us as Ijaw people when the settlement is one-sided, devoid of justice, fairness and negatively twisted deliberately against the Governor which is in total favour to Barr. Nyesom Wike. For us, that is not a settlement but laid down rules for the continued enslavement of the Governor of Rivers State. The purported settlement is nothing but a mere charade and a drama stage managed by Wike and his cohorts in Aso Rock.

As Ijaw people, we are beginning to lose faith in Tinubu’s Presidency of being fair to everyone in Nigeria, particularly to the Ijaws. How do anyone explain that out of 8 resolutions dished out by the President of Nigeria between two warring parties, 7 is in favour of Wike only 1 seem to support Fubara for which even that one cannot stand the test of time. This is really sad for our Country’s democracy and a clear hatred exhibited against the Ijaws in Nigeria.

A look at the resolutions to us as a council is laughable. We are imagining if President Tinubu is aware that Governor Siminalaye Fubara is neither his employee nor Minister under him but a legally and democratically elected Governor of Rivers State just the way President Tinubu was elected as President of Nigeria by Nigerians. The fact that he called the meeting settlement is the more reason he ought to be fair to all parties and not dishing out this one-sided and subjective directives.
Governor Fubara cannot be treated like a man that has committed any crime. All he has done is to rebuild a better and stronger Rivers State.

Governance in Rivers State must never be seen as a caricature or a joke where a Governor will be made to hustle and compile names of Commissioners that resigned on their own to be resubmitted again to an impeached Speaker and House of Assembly members that have lost their seats for screening. This is really strange and baffling.

That the Governor of Rivers State shall resend a budget that has been passed by the State House of Assembly to the house again for presentation, this to us is a political rascality taken too far and on top of it, the Governor shall recall all sacked Local Government Chairmen in Rivers State. We are tempted to ask how did this so called settlement settles Fubara, the Governor of Rivers State and the people of the state?

Finally, we are calling on our dear Governor of Rivers State to be watchful and wary of this so called settlement that it is not yet time to celebrate. Fubara needs to show that he is the Governor of Rivers State now. The Ijaw Youth Council is aware that there is more to this premeditated settlement.

The big question now is that the defected 27 lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly, what party are they now, are they in APC or PDP?

Signed
Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill
Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.