The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has strongly warned against any attempt to impeach Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, declaring that such a move could lead to widespread instability in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Reacting to the ongoing political crisis in the state, the INC also condemned the recent Supreme Court ruling on Rivers, arguing that it failed to recognize the political sacrifices of the Ijaw people.
In a statement released in Port Harcourt on Monday, INC President Prof. Benjamin Okaba insisted that undermining Fubara’s government would have dire consequences for national peace and economic stability.
Ijaw Leaders Recall Political Contributions
The INC traced the historical contributions of the Ijaw people in shaping Rivers State’s leadership and accused the Ikwerre political elite of frustrating the first riverine governor in decades.
“In 1999, an Ijaw leader, Chief Marshall Harry, played a key role in securing the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for Dr. Peter Odili, despite strong opposition from Sergeant Awuse,” Prof. Okaba stated.
He further recalled how, in 2003, Chief Harry backed Awuse’s governorship ambition but was assassinated in a politically motivated attack. The Ijaw people also played a decisive role in electing Sir Celestine Omehia in 2007.
“By 2011, when Rotimi Amaechi wanted to nominate Pastor Tonye Cole as a minister, it was Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of then-President Goodluck Jonathan, who ensured that Nyesom Wike got the position instead,” Okaba added.
He lamented that despite these contributions, Ijaw leaders are now being sidelined in Rivers politics.
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Ijaw Leaders Vow to Defend Fubara
The INC warned that the Ijaw people would resist any attempt to remove Governor Fubara from office.
“We will defend Governor Fubara with every pint of blood in our veins. We will not sit back and allow his tenure to be cut short,” Prof. Okaba declared.
He emphasized that the Ijaw people had always worked for peace in the Niger Delta, leading to increased oil production and national revenue. However, he warned that the same resources were now being used to marginalize them.
“This is not just happening in Rivers State. The Ijaw people in Ondo, Edo, Delta, and Akwa Ibom have also been politically excluded for too long,” he noted.
INC Issues Warning to President Tinubu
The INC issued a strong warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him not to treat the Rivers crisis as mere political maneuvering.
“The Ijaw people, numbering over 40 million worldwide, will not tolerate any attempt to undermine their place in Nigerian politics,” Prof. Okaba declared.
While calling on Governor Fubara to work with all arms of government in the state, Okaba warned that if the Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly succeeds in truncating Fubara’s tenure, the INC cannot guarantee peace in the Niger Delta.
“If Governor Fubara’s tenure is cut short, we cannot guarantee the sustenance of the current peace in the Niger Delta or the continued rise in oil production,” he cautioned—a clear warning of potential disruptions to Nigeria’s oil industry.