The Ijaw National Congress (INC), has cautioned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike over his claims to the ownership of political structures in Rivers State.

INC posited that political structures should not and cannot be anyone’s personal property, adding that as power is transient, so also the political architecture be completely surrendered to the succeeding leader in command and authority, in this instance the incumbent governor of the state.

“We expect that in the same manner that the PDP structure built by Dr. Peter Odili and sustained by Celestine Omehia and Rotimi Amaechi was bequeathed to Mr Wike, the former governor should, as a matter of political tradition, also properly and completely relinquish same to his successor. It is on record that Mr Wike served out his two tenures peacefully without being terrorized, hounded and haunted by his major benefactors- the ijaws who set the stage for him to attain his much orchestrated Eldorado,” INC said.

The Ijaw group noted that “keeping the political structures and the incumbent governor under his armpit is an aberration with dire consequences for the human capital, political, economic and social development of the state and by extension, the Nigerian state.”

In a statement signed by the President of INC, Prof. Benjamin Ogele Okaba on Friday, the group said Ijaws were bothered by the provocative and unguarded comments reported to have been made by Mr Wike at different public fora that the “..crisis in Rivers State is purely state politics, internal wrangling and is in no way an ethnic issue…and that political structures of the state belong to me and I will not see any one take them from me, impeachment is not a military coup, it is provided for under the constitution…”

The statement noted that the Ijaws will “stand for and by one of their own – His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, particularly because no one has identified a single wrong or crime he has committed against the state as a citizen and as governor to warrant impeachment attempt or any form of attack. It is important to note that politics is just one of the vital components of a people’s culture, therefore, we have no apologies for being politically conscious of the damning existential threat the case in point portends.

“Siminalayi Fubara has received accolades from all the tribes and sections of Rivers State and beyond as a technocrat with a robust sense of public service background, open and kind-hearted gentleman and very unassuming, humane, prudent of manager of the meager resources available to him, and committed to the even development of the state; who does things in accordance with laid down rules and regulations and with the fear of the Almighty God.

“In Rivers State, across political party lines and ethnic divide, the massive condemnation of the attempted “civil coup d’etat” and the emergent pro-Fubara movement must be best underscored as a liberation movement from political tyranny, spiritual strangulation and economic disarticulation.”

INC said the Ijaw nation remains profusely grateful to Wike for making their son, Governor of Rivers State, adding that Mr Wike enjoyed great love and political benevolence from an Ijaw son, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who appointed him as minister and later aided him to be governor of Rivers State.

“His godson Siminalayi Fubara also served him in several strategic capacities as a very loyal and diligent confidant. As a faithful labourer, he deserves Mr Wike’s reward by way of support and providing the enabling environment to function effectively and maximally as the sitting governor of the state,” it added.

INC said it found the recent Rivers State PDP Elders Forum position statement more worrisome, misplaced, lopsided and repressive.

“However, we sympathize with them on their inability to summon the needed courage to speak truth to power and affluence,” INC added. (Vanguard)

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