.As Bode George urges Tinubu to avert looming darkness in Rivers, Osun
Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt and Ibrahim Qudri, Lagos
The Ijaws, under the aegis of Ijaws National Congress (IYC) Eastern Zone has described the 48 hours ultimatum given to Governor Siminalayi Fubara by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly to present the 2025 budget as an invitation to anarchy in the state.
The Ijaw group also raised an alarm over potential insecurity in Rivers State following the fallout of last Friday’s Supreme Court ruling which went in favour of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers in the state.
IYC Eastern Zone in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Comrade Prince Datolu Sukubo, Secretary, Comrade Tamunokuro Dango and Information Officer, Ambassador Odia Igbiks said the ultimatum is an attempt to undermine the mandate given to the governor by the people of Rivers State and cause chaos that’s capable of setting the stage for impeachment proceedings against the governor.
The Ijaw youths vowed that they won’t sit idly and allow anybody steal the mandate freely given to the governor.
“We are aware of alarming plans by certain elements to destabilize Rivers State and undermine the mandate given to our elected officials. The purported 48-hour ultimatum issued to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, by the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly to present the 2025 budget is a clear indication of an orchestrated effort to create chaos and potentially impeach the governor.
“This is not only an attack on our leadership but also an affront to the will of the Rivers people who have entrusted their governance to one of our own.
“The IYC firmly warns that we will not stand by and allow detractors to steal this mandate. We are committed to defending our rights and ensuring that the voices of the Ijaw people are heard and respected,” the statement read.
The youths further called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to immediately intervene and halt the crisis which they fear is capable of plunging Rivers State into an avoidable crisis, stressing that such instability could have severe repercussions, not only for the state but also for crude oil production and energy security.
While calling for peace and stability in the state, the Ijaw youths warned further that if Rivers State is starved of allocations, they will also starve Nigeria of resources.
“Let us not allow the ambitions of a few to jeopardize the future of our state and its people which will further endanger the economy of this country, because any attempt to stop Rivers State Allocation which will cause hardships to innocent civil servants and also reduce the speedy developmental projects implementation by the Rivers State government will definitely have negative effect on the economy of this country, as Ijaw people, we will not fold our hands and allow the continued political marginalization of our own.
“If Rivers State is starved of its economic right because of one man who want to monopolize Rivers State economy we will also starve the economy of Nigeria,” IYC warned.
.As Bode George urges Tinubu to avert looming darkness in Rivers, Osun
However, Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has warned President Bola Tinubu not to allow despotic and unpatriotic elements to destroy the present democratic process.
In an open letter to the President entitled “From Osun to Lagos and Rivers: Darkness Looms”, George, the Atona Oodua of Yoŕubaland, declared that Nigeria is becoming an embarrassment in the comity of nations due to some actions which defy logic.
He said the council crisis in Osun State a few weeks ago which led to killings was not only illogical but heartless.
“We now have a situation in which some people interprete the law to suit their selfish interests. What happened in Osun is a straightforward case but government officials at the federal level complicated the situation with unnecessary interpretation of the law.
“In Nigeria, the law is being turned upside down and this is dangerous to our democracy. Why are people so desperate? What exactly is the issue? Can’t we do something with decorum?
“Some of us are worried because we lived through what happened in the First Republic which started in 1962 and what happened in the Second Republic which started in 1983. Tinubu should not allow a reenactment of the collapse of these Republics.
“Look at what is happening in the Lagos State House of Assembly. It is absolute lunacy. Thirty six out of 40 members impeached Mudashiru Obasa and since then, we have witnessed this embarrassing show of shame.
“To say the return of Obasa as Speaker on Monday is shocking is an understatement. It is an international embarrassment and the joke is on the presidency.
“Obasa was impeached on January 13 and since then, agents of darkness turned the Assembly to a theatre of war. What sort of democracy is this? Lawmakers have the powers to choose their leaders but since they took that decision, it has been one crisis after the other, fuelled by extraneous forces. Why should Nigeria and Nigerians be embarrassed like this globally? What is our offence?
“Why should this embarrassing and disgraceful behaviour be allowed by the powers that be in Abuja? Why should the Centre of Excellence be turned to Centre of Confusion?
“Look at Rivers, the economic lifewire of this country. The whole thing is a total mess. What sort of judgement will subject people to misery, extreme pain, wretchedness, distress and unhappiness of no federal allocation, no salary, no infrastructure, no food and other essentials of life?
“I am not a lawyer but I see the verdict as disheartening. This can cause problems for the country.
“That judgemènt is not fair to the people of Rivers State.
“I just pray thàt some elements will not start bursting oil pipelines which may eventually affect the country’s revenue.
‘’The people are hungry and angry. Tinubu and other APC chiefs desperate to capture all states should have a rethink.
“In the country today, we have deficits in areas of democracy and rule of law. That is why everything is upside down. Also, electoral irregularities such as intimidation and vote buying continue to be widespread.
These became glaring during the Edo and Ondo governorship elections in September and November, 2024 when vote buying was done in the open.
The security situation has also deteriorated. Youth Corps members, serving their fatherland, are now being abducted by terrorists. Terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and communal clashes have become the order of the day.
“Instead of the president to tackle these vices, APC members are busy sowing seeds of crises all over the country. This is the time to say enough is enough.
“Lagos is the largest electoral state in Nigeria, followed by Kano and Rivers. If we deliberately make two of the three states to be unstable, what does that portend for Nigeria?
“I want to remind all Nigerians, especially those in government, that GOODNESS is an investment that will never fail. Whatever good you do will also have a reward. Where there is love, there is no need for perfection. I wish Nigeria and Nigerians the very best everytime.”
