The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has issued a strong warning against any attempts to interfere with the tenure of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in Rivers State.
Benjamin Okaba, President of the INC, delivered this warning on Thursday during the 56th anniversary of the death of the late Ijaw hero, Isaac Adaka Boro, known as Boro Day, held in Yenagoa.
Speaking at the Ijaw Heroes Park, Okaba emphasized the INC’s commitment to protecting the interests of the Ijaw people. He stated, “It is the INC’s duty to defend the Ijaw cause.
An injury to an Ijaw man is an injury to all of us. That is why we are so focused and committed in the Rivers cause.”
He firmly asserted that the governorship of Fubara and his deputy, Dagogo, should remain untouched, stating, “The Fubara-Dagogo governorship can never be tampered with.
We are unrepentant in our struggle to ensure that 24 years of political slavery is a thing of the past. Fubara has become governor and he will remain governor. Anybody that wants to touch Fubara is touching the Ijaw nation.”
Okaba defended the solidarity visit of Ijaw leaders to Governor Fubara, despite criticism, stating, “When some people criticize us that INC led a protest march in Port Harcourt, I don’t have any apology for anybody.
The matter was a serious one and it needed serious action. In advancing the Ijaw cause, we have also thought of what to do to go beyond rhetoric in advancing the programme of Ijaw people together to speak with one common voice.”
He also hinted at the possibility of the Ijaw people considering secession due to ongoing frustrations in Nigeria, asserting that any achievements made by the Ijaw have been through struggle.
“We fought to have a state. We fought to have interventionist agencies. Nobody has given us anything on a platter of gold. So the struggle continues; the INC has the core mandate of uniting the Ijaw people. It also has the mandate of advancing the identity of an Ijaw man.”
Additionally, Okaba unveiled a map of the Niger Delta region highlighting Ijaw communities and announced the launch of the Ijaw Nation app, aimed at facilitating communication among Ijaw people.
Nimibofa Ayawei, Secretary to the State Government, representing Governor Douye Diri, remarked that the act of laying wreaths should not be a mere annual ritual but a profound renewal of commitment to Bayelsa State and the Ijaw Nation.
The backdrop of these events is a political crisis in Rivers State, spurred by a rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, leading to the resignation of five pro-Wike commissioners from Fubara’s cabinet earlier in the week.
