Ijaw Nation to Tinubu: Call Wike to order, set up committee to resolve Rivers crisis

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has asked President Bola Tinubu to establish a committee to resolve the political crisis in Rivers state.

The group also implored the president to call Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), to order.

In a communique issued at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting on March 26, the INC expressed concern over the declaration of a state of emergency and the suspension of the governor, deputy governor, and state house of assembly members.

The communique, signed by INC president Benjamin Okaba and national secretary Ebipamowei Wodu, described the crisis in Rivers as a deliberate ploy to undermine and provoke the Ijaw people.

“The Ijaws are not fighting with the Federal Government under the leadership of the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), neither are we fighting with any ethnic nationalities,” the communique reads.

“We have always been the glue that has bonded the nation together and therefore demand that we be equally treated with respect, fairness, equity and justice in the affairs of the Nation.”

While acknowledging the president’s constitutional right to declare a state of emergency, the INC said the constitution does not empower him to suspend the governor, deputy governor, and state house of assembly members or appoint a sole administrator.

The congress demanded a reversal of the suspension and urged Tinubu to “urgently set up a Committee of Eminent Nigerians to resolve the political impasse in Rivers State”.

The INC also condemned “uninformed, misguided, and disrespectful utterances” by Wike “against the Ijaws”.

The congress expressed concern that Wike’s utterances were made while Ijaw leaders and other eminent elders and leaders of the Niger Delta were engaging Tinubu on peacefully resolving the crisis.

“We therefore call on the president to call to order his political appointees, especially Nyesom Wike, as further denigrating utterances from him might be misconstrued as Nyesom Wike speaking on behalf of Mr. President and his Government,” the communique reads.

“We advise him to stop forthwith, every form of hate speech and denigration of any ethnic nationality that could lead to disharmony, disrespect and chaos in the country.

“The Ijaw Nation has resolved that any further attempt to undermine and/or relegate our societal standing will be met with utmost resistance in the form of exploring any and every available legitimate and peaceful means to seek redress.”