Ijaw leader, Okaba, preaches against disunity among political class in Niger Delta

The president of the apex body of the Ijaw nation, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof. Benjamin Okaba, has called for peace among the political class in Niger Delta region.

This is just as he encouraged the acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, George Turnah, to forge ahead and collaborate with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

 The Special Assistant to Turnah on media, Mr Kevin Loveday Egbo, in a statement, said Okaba also called for diverse political collaboration to ensure the Ijaw nation does not put its eggs in one basket. 

Okaba was quoted to have stated this when Turnah paid him a courtesy call to keep him abreast of recent political happenings in the state.

 Okaba, who commended Turnah for his visit and apology, describing it as hallmarks of strong leadership, however, urged him to make a similar visit to the Bayelsa State governor and Governor-General of the Ijaw nation, Senator Douye Diri, for reconciliation and the greater good and unity of the Ijaw nation.

The don also cautioned against divisive behaviours among the political class in Niger Delta, stressing that the calm in the Ijaw nation over the Rivers political debacle was deliberate to allow for peace and enable Governor Sim Fubara to pursue genuine reconciliation with his benefactor and political father, Wike.

Turnah, while speaking, expressed regrets over some recent public comments regarding the office of the INC, which were misconstrued in some quarters.

The PDP caretaker committee chairman commended Okaba for his dedicated leadership of the INC and urged for greater support.

He also reiterated that ethnicity has no place in politics and urged the socio-cultural leader of the Ijaw race to find means to address political issues without necessarily involving the revered INC institution, which represents the Ijaw interest and speaks for the Ijaw people.

Turnah also pleaded with Prof. Okaba and the INC leadership to initiate robust peace moves to facilitate the restoration of suspended Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara, to office in no distant time.

According to him, only a sincere apology and genuine reconciliation can yield positive results in the current Rivers political crisis.

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on March 18, declared a state of emergency in Rivers, a Niger Deltan state, citing the prolonged political debacle in the state. 

In a nationwide broadcast, Tinubu also announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. 

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