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Rivers Crisis: INC Urges Ijaw To Rally Round Fubara …We’ll Mobilise Two million Nigerian Youths To Defend Fubara -Youth Coalition …Chastises Police For Attacking Gov
Following reports of political crisis in Rivers State, the ljaw National Congress (INC) has urged all Ijaw sons and daughters to rally round the State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara
The Congress also advised the former Governor of the State, Nyesom Wike, to concentrate on his responsibilities as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and stop interfering in the running of government in the State.
INC, in a statement by its National President, Prof. Benjamin Ogle Okaba, said, “The attention of the jaw National Congress has been drawn to a grand plot masterminded by the immediate past governor of River State, now the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike to unlawfully impeach the duly elected Governor of River State, His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara who is barely five months in office as Governor of River State.
“The INC considers this development very worrisome and capable of generating an unwarranted state of insecurity and instability that can throw the entire Niger Delta and the Nigerian economy into serious crises.
“From reports gathered, Governor Fubara has done nothing wrong to warrant his removal except for the fact that he has decided not to remain a stooge to the immediate past Governor.
“The INC, therefore, condemns in its entirety this barbaric, selfish, nepotistic and unconstitutional act capable of derailing the process of democratic consolidation in Nigeria.
“Wike should be advised to concentrate on his responsibilities as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja and stop interfering and arm swinging the political machinery in River State to advance his personal and selfish desires.
“The INC is hereby calling on Mr. President and Commander in Chief President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call his FCT Minister to order.
“The INC is calling on all jaw sons, daughters and friends to rally their support to the Governor of River State as an injustice to one jaw man is an injustice to over forty (40) million Ijaw people across the world.
“The ljaw Nation Is Watching Closely and will act decisively and appropriately at the right time”
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), the umbrella body of all Nigerian youths in South South, South East, South West, North East, North Central, and North West geopolitical zones has condemned in strongest terms the attack on Fubara by policemen and other security agents using life bullets, teargas and other weapons.
The coalition also condemned the plot to impeach the governor using the instrumentality of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The coalition , in a statement jointly signed by its President General, Comrade Goodluck Ibem; Leader, South South Youth Coalition (SSYC), Comrade Iniobong Sampson, and Comrade Junaid Abubakar of the Arewa Youth Vanguard For Good Governance (AYVGG), condemned the attack on Fubara and promised to mobilise two million youths to defend him.
The statement read, “The attack on Governor Fubara by security agents with life bullets, teargas and other weapons is a confirmation that there were on a mission to assassinate the Governor. This is madness taken too far and we condemn it in its entirety.
“It is very clear to all that the Governor has done nothing wrong to warrant an impeachment but because he has refused to share the commonwealth of the good people of Rivers State to a few, some persons wants him impeached. But we the people say a capital “NO” to their evil plot on our democracy.
“It amounts to a coup against democracy for some persons to contemplate impeaching a governor that has barely stayed for 4 months in office who have not committed any impeachable offence whatsoever. These shows that some anti-democratic forces are at work and we warn them to stay clear from Rivers State.
“It is very unfortunate that some security agents and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly will allow themselves to be used by selfish individuals who do no mean well for the state to cause disaffection and uproar in the peaceful state of Rivers.
“Governor Fubara was elected by the good people of Rivers State to govern them and he should be allowed to do the job freely given to him by the good people of Rivers State without any form of interference from any quarters.
“Rivers State is too big for anyone or a few group of persons to think they can just wakeup and order the impeachment of the executive governor elected by the people. Nigerians have overgrown that era and stage.
“We will mobilize 2 million Nigerian youths in solidarity to Governor Fubara for effective delivery of democracy dividends to the people of Rivers State who freely gave him his mandate.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun to immediately arrest and prosecute those security agents who attacked Governor Fubara with life bullets, teargas and other dangerous weapons. The law must take it’s full cause on those airing officers.
“We call on Governor Similanayi Fubara to stand firm and strong to defend the mandate freely given to him by the good people of Rivers State who defied the rain, sun and harsh weather to cast their votes for him during the elections. It is him that the people know and it is him that they people will hold accountable.
“We call on the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly not to allow themselves to be used by anyone to cause disaffection and uproar in the state.
“We call on all Nigerians to standup in defense of democracy in Rivers State that is under attack by a few selfish individuals.
“We urge good people of Rivers state to stand solidly behind Governor Fubara who mean well for the state and is fully prepared to move the state to another level of growth and development”.
In its reaction, the Rivers State Police Command, in a terse statement by its spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, said it was on top of the security situations that occurred at the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex.
She said that a full-scale investigation has been launched to unravel the circumstances surrounding the situations and take immediate policing actions against anyone found wanting.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.