By Ken Afor
The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Worldwide, has advised Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, to refrain from attributing his political miscalculations to the Ijaw community.
They emphasized that the Ijaw people played a significant role in his political achievements.
Maobuye Nangi-Obu, the Secretary of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Worldwide, said that Wike’s actions have diminished his political significance within the state.
Furthermore, Nangi-Obu stated that Wike’s decision to coerce the 27 lawmakers into leaving their elected political platform has left them unemployed.
Nangi-Obu emphasized that the endeavor to safeguard Fubara was not driven by ethnicity, highlighting that it was the Ijaw community, which has also given rise to the upland governors in the state.
His words, “Ijaw people shouldn’t be painted in a bad light as Wike is going about doing. In 1999, the Ijaw people supported Peter Odili for governor. It was Asawana that made him Governor.
“In 2007, the Ijaw people stood by Rotimi Amaechi. The worst of it all is when the Ijaw that had the magic wand as regards governance, then we had Ijaw man as President, they made sure that the wrong thing was entrenched and they brought Nyesom Wike to us.
“Ijaw people chanted Asawana, killed themselves to ensure that another Ikwerre man succeeded an Ikwerre, because Patient Jonathan backed Wike. Then Asawana was not evil. Wike should not blame his political miscalculation on the people of Ijaw.”
The IYC scribe further emphasized the importance of appointing Ehie as Chief of Staff to Fubara, highlighting Ehie’s profound understanding of governance and the rule of law.
Nangi-Obu said: “Sometimes, when we are overbearing and domineering, why trying to infringe on somebody else’s right. It is the governor’s right to appoint whomever he likes as anything. It is also Ehie’s right to say I have seen another opening that gives a better opportunity for my political future.
“In fact, if there is anything higher than the Chief of Staff, Ehie deserves it. The governor should quickly appoint him. He is one person that has shown character, and he is firm. Not just that he supports the governor, but he understands the rule of law. He tries to stand for the governor, so the governor should appoint him if he has not made the appointment.”
It would be recalled that Wike’s political miscalculation in Rivers State started in October when some lawmakers of the State House of Assembly who are his loyalists attempted to impeach the State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Prior to the incident, the Assembly chamber was engulfed in flames, with many individuals pointing fingers at Governor Fubara for his alleged involvement in the incident, which further fueled rumors of his impeachment.
The state’s crisis worsened in the following weeks when 25 loyalists of Wike defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This defection prompted the PDP to declare their seats vacant.
Weighing into the crisis, President Bola Tinubu summoned a meeting between the warring parties – Governor Fubara, certain members of the Rivers Assembly, and Wike, along with his supporters. As a result, a resolution was reached, instructing the reinstatement of the seats of the 25 defected lawmakers that were previously declared vacant.
In the midst of this, Governor Fubara, undeterred by the situation, made a firm commitment to carry on with his administration, regardless of any attempts to intimidate him.
