Former chairmen of Ijaw-dominated local government areas in Rivers State have criticized non-state actors’ threats related to the state’s political crises.
Some militant groups in Rivers State had threatened to shut down oil production and provoke a state crisis if Gov Siminalayi Fubara was impeached.
The former Fubara campaign coordinators in their respective Rivers state local governments urged the police, the Department of State Security, and other security authorities to enforce the Supreme Court’s decision in the public good.
The former members of the Association of Local Government Nigeria claimed Fubara failed to seize the opportunity provided by the presidential intervention to end the dispute.
The Ijaw chiefs, who claimed to be the substantive chairmen of their local government areas notwithstanding their unsuccessful tenure extension, expressed relief that the Supreme Court had resolved the matter.
“Unfortunately, our attention was drawn to both subtle and frontal threats to the government, instigated by some individuals and organizations, who ostensibly are beneficiaries of the crises.
“It’s even worse that they use the Ijaw identity to fuel the embers of violence and intimidation against the Federal Government.
“In this category are organizations such as the Ijaw National Congress and some renegades of the Ijaw Youth Council.
“These organizations stated publicly that the Ijaws will resort to violence against critical national oil infrastructure if Governor Fubara is impeached.
“This implies that these pro-Ijaw ethnic organizations have not read the Supreme Court judgment they so condemn,” the LG chairmen said.
The statement was signed by Daniel O. Daniel, Abua/Odual; Dr Rowland C. Sekibo, Akuku Toru; Dr Erastus C. Awortu, Andoni; Onengiye George, Asari Toru; Michael John Williams, Degema; Chief Vincent Nemioboka, Ogu Bolo; Akuro Tobin, Okrika; Tamunotonye Douglas, Vice-Chairman, Port Harcourt City and Ubile Jack, Vice-Chairman, Ahoada West.
They said, “We condemn those empty threats and urge the Federal Government and Nigerians to disregard such comments which project the Ijaws in a bad light.
“Moreso, it is a fact that these threats attack the sensitivity of people from other ethnic groups in Rivers State who also voted for Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“We have also seen videos and press statements of supposed stakeholders, including Prof Benjamin Okaba, Alhaji Mujaheed Asari Dokubo threatening the energy security of the Nigerian state if attempts at implementation of the judgment lead to the impeachment of the governor.”
“Did the judgment call for Fubara’s impeachment? The simple answer is no. Where were these persons who claimed to be fighting the so-called Ijaw fight when the governor truncated the tenure and seized the allocation of the LGAs including those of us who are fellow Ijaws?
“Where were they when he stopped the salaries of the Assembly members and even made conscious attempts to use the courts to impeach them, including 10 Ijaw sons? They were all unconcerned because they were benefitting from the crisis and are not ready to stop benefitting from it” the ex-LG chairmen queried.
The former LG chairmen assured Nigerians that they would mobilise the support base to protect oil installations situated in their respective communities.
“We call on Governor Fubara to obey and ensure the full compliance with the decisions of the Supreme Court.
“As everybody is aware, impeachment is a profound constitutional prescription to penalise any erring governor or president in a presidential system of government.
“The Ijaws should at this point ensure that their beloved son does not carry out any act that will necessitate the deployment of this constitutionally approved procedure to check his excesses,” the statement read.
