Eight Years Tenure For Fubara Not Negotiable, IYC Declares …Urges Akpabio, Wike To Mind Utterances …Warns Against Heating Up Rivers Polity

Going by the statement credited to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, urging Ogoni people to work together to produce the next governor for Rivers State in 2027, the apex Ijaw socio–cultural group, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Zone, Opobo-Ibani Clan, has vowed to stand by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and protect his interest with its last blood to ensure that in 2027 Governorship election, he would be re-elected to complete his eight years tenure, which is not negotiable.
This is contained in a statement by the group in Port Harcourt and signed by its Chairman, Clinton Ogolo; Coordinator, Ibitamuno Cookey-Gam; and Secretary, Emmanuel Diri; shortly after IYC enlarged National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
The group, which is a crusader of quality service delivery, noted that the Ijaws in the state had been neglected and relegated over the years by successive administrations.
According to the group, “Our support to the governor for the soul of Rivers Brick House in 2027 is not negotiable as there is no vacancy until after 2031, when Fubara might have completed his government’s eight years of productive leadership, same way we supported former governor and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike for eight years.
“Today, we stand our ground to back Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Even if it happens to any other person, we in Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) will show the same support. IYC will continuously support the person the same way we stood with Wike, where many of our members lost their lives,” it stated.
The group used the opportunity to admonish Governor Siminalayi Fubara to keep all distractions at bay and continue in his people-oriented development programmes in the state.
It appealed to the governor to consider the involvement of IYC in the scheme of things in the state, expressing happiness that their agitation for an Ijaw Governor has come to stay, adding that at the end of the day, the wish of the people, particularly Rivers-Ijaw will finally prevail.
IYC lamented that it has been subjected to all manner of threats on the allegations that it was vehemently supporting the State Chief Executive in the political crisis rocking the state.
“No amount of the threats, intimidating statements will make us in IYC to turn our back in supporting the present dispensation under the watch of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“We are assuring that the same support we gave to Wike during his reign as governor remains the same support we are giving the incumbent Governor Fubara.
“Siminalayi Fubara remains a River-Ijaw indigene. He is eminently qualified to be the governor, and we will stand by him and protect his interest with our last blood,” IYC declared.
The group charged Rivers people to shun the ranting of Godswill Akpabio, Nyesom Wike and their cohorts during a thanksgiving service in honour of Dr. Barinada Mpigi re-election victory at the Supreme Court in Tai LGA recently, and redouble their support for Governor Fubara, stating that he has the excess capacity to deliver on his administration’s mandate in providing the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
The group called on Fubara to carry all and sundry along in his government policies and programmes, while urging opposition in the state to sheathe their warring swords, and give the governor all the needed support as was accorded former governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for eight years.
“We stand to declare that the IYC will ensure that Governor Fubara governs the state for two tenures of eight years,” adding that their stance remains non-negotiable.
“This is something we cannot negotiate. Governor Siminalayi Fubara is going to run Rivers State for eight years. It is sacrosanct, it is certain. It is not negotiable. After his eight years, he will bow out and another person will take over,” it declared.
Meanwhile, the group has cautioned Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike and others of their cohorts who don’t mean well for the progress of the state to distant themselves from the administration of Sir Siminalayi Fubara, who has come to right the wrongs of the past administrations as headed by Chief Nyesom Wike or be ready to face the wrath of Rivers youths.
The IYC warned Akpabio, Wike and their cronies to shun negative political propaganda, stressing that “further negative utterances and attempt to heat up the polity in the state will be resisted by IYC, no matter whose ox is gored.”
It added that, “only Rivers electorate after God Almighty remain the provider for the governor in the state, and not the business of either Wike, Akpabio or their faceless and shameless cronies”, IYC submitted.