By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has warned the Federal Government to thread cautiously concerning the crisis rocking Rivers State.
The INC also advised President Tinubu to ensure neutrality in what it called the vexatious battle for supremacy between Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and his immediate predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
The INC stressed that taking sides in the matter, especially with the recent ruling by a Federal High Court ordering witholding of the Rivers State Statutory monthly financial allocations will attract dire consequences from its members.
President of INC, Professor Benjamin Okaba, made the warning during the 10th Anniversary of the Ijaw Women Connect (IWC), Worldwide, held in Warri, Delta State, on Saturday.
Speaking on the thorny issue, Okaba enjoined Tinubu to be careful with the handling and management of the Rivers State crisis, which, he said, was becoming “provocative.”
Okaba affirmed that if the alleged persistent and discriminative assault on Governor Fubara continues unchecked, “they will surely get what they want from the Ijaw nation.”
“On a day like this, where Ijaw women have gathered, we need to also make some pronouncements on the state of the nation.
“Let me use this opportunity to advise the Federal Government, led by Bola Tinubu, to be very conscious of handling and managing the crisis in Rivers State.
“In the light of the High Court judgement stopping or renting statutory allocations to Rivers State, INC considers that as very provocative to the Niger Delta and it is also unconstitutional.
“If the Federal Government decides to use the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to deny Rivers State and, by extension, Ijaw Nation, of their statutory allocations, they will surely get what they want from Ijaw Nation.
“We want to make it clear also to the entire world that if the persistence of the discriminatory attack, insult, and intimidation of the governor continues unchecked, there might be dire consequences,” he said.
Prof. Okaba said: “Alamasiegha once said, ‘If you deny the Ijaw people, even if it is 50 per cent of their God-given wealth, a day will come; a day will surely come when the Ijaws will revolt back,’”
He urged his fellow Ijaw brothers and sisters to exercise restraint in the face of what he called the provocative ruling, while expressing confidence that it will not stand the test of time.
“Please remain calm because, in the first place, this judgement will not stand the test of time.”
Okaba commended the IWC for being a support in the struggle to liberate the Ijaw nation and urged members not to relent.
He also expressed appreciation for the achievements of the group in its empowerment, advocacy, mobilisation, and education of their counterparts in the riverine as well as urban communities in the region.
Bayelsa State Commissioner for Ijaw National Affairs and Pere of Karabiri-Mein in Bomadi Local Government area of Delta State, His Highness Godspower Tam Oporoma, debunked insinuations, in some quarters, that Ijaw women were not allowed to speak on socio-political and economics matters according to tradition.
He noted that in Ijaw culture, there were no norms or taboos where no woman could talk or comment on issues affecting them.
He charged the IWC members thus: “Don’t dampen your spirits. You have a right of association as enshrined in the constitution.
“Nobody can exclude you from exhibiting your endowed skills in socio-political and economic affairs,” he added.
The supremacy battle Fubara and his erstwhile ally, Nyesom Wike took a twist for the worst on Friday.
This is following a ruling by a Federal High Court in Abuja that the statutory monthly financial allocations for Rivers State local government areas should be halted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over alleged constitutional breaches.
