The Rivers Rescue Movement (RRM), a self-confessed pro-Wike group, has called on the President of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof Benjamin Okaba, to resign, alleging incompetence and a lack of direction in leadership.
In a communiqué signed by its Director General, Hon Johnson Georgewill, and Mrs Sarima Akpata, and made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the leadership of RRM condemned Prof Okaba’s leadership for “reckless and provocative statements made regarding the avoidable crises in Rivers State and Ijaw matters in general.”
“As a group, we are appalled that Prof Okaba, who is supposed to be neutral because we have Ijaws on both sides of the Rivers rift, has decided to be partisan and one-sided, just as he supported Tonye Cole for Governor and vilified the suspended Governor (Fubara). Meanwhile, true Ijaw sons, standing with the FCT Minister, worked tirelessly and had sleepless nights to ensure H.E. Sim Fubara emerged victorious in 2023,” the communiqué stated.
The RRM further demanded: “We are calling on Prof Okaba to immediately desist from granting any press interviews to insult and disparage the FCT Minister, H.E. Nyesom Wike, whom God used to politically liberate the Rivers Ijaws in 2023. Otherwise, we will be forced to explore every legal means to file a criminal defamation suit in court.
“We believe the founding fathers of the INC would be in tears to see a formidable and non-partisan group, formed solely to unite Ijaws, build friendships among other ethnic groups, and protect Ijaw interests, now turning into a political party because of one man’s greed.”
The RRM mocked supporters of the suspended Governor Fubara, asking where those, including Prof Okaba, who allegedly “were beating war drums on a purely constitutional matter, are now that Gov Fubara has been suspended?”
“Our stance remains the same: the majority of Rivers Ijaws who fought for the emergence of Sim Fubara are with the leader of Rivers State politics, Nyesom Wike.
“We are also appealing, for the sake of equity, fairness, and justice, that another Ijaw man should be allowed to complete the term of the Ijaws, as Ijaws will remain grateful.”
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