Ijaw Youths Flay Outcome of Tinubu’s Intervention in Rivers Crisis

Sylvester Idowu in Warri 

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has said it is losing interest in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over his recent intervention in the feud between Rivers State Governor, Siminalaye Fubara and his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The group described the intervention of President Tinubu and its outcome as a rape on democracy, as well as an open hatred for the Ijaws.

According to a statement signed and issued in Warri Wednesday by its spokesman, Binebai Yerin Princewill, the IYC acknowledged President Tinubu for heeding its call for intervention in the political crisis that engulfed Rivers State between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Wike in the past few months.

However, the youth body expressed disappointment with the outcome of the meeting to reconcile Fubara and Wike presided over by President Tinubu, alleging that the content of the document was skewed against the sitting Rivers Governor, an Ijaw man.

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

“While as a vouncil, 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, Siminalaye Fubara,” it stated.

IYC stated further: “We are completely backing the position of our father, Dr. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, leader of PANDEF by reemphasising 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-point resolution.

“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 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 eight resolutions dished out by the President of Nigeria between two warring parties, seven is in favour of Wike only one 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.”

IYC called on Governor Fubara to be watchful and wary of the settlement, noting that it was not time to celebrate, adding that: “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.”