The Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM) has accused the Ijaw National Congress (INC) led by Prof. Benjamin Okaba, of opposing the decision of former Governor Nyesom Wike to present, Siminialayi Fubara as his successor in 2023......Read The Full Article>>.....Read The Full Article>>
RRM, a frontline group that supported Wike’s choice of Fubara and worked for his victory at the poll, said it was compelled to reply to INC following Okaba’s recent statement against Wike.
The group in a statement signed by its director-general, Johnson Georgewill, and Secretary, Mrs. Sarima Akpata, wondered when INC developed its newfound love for Fubara it earlier described as a fake Ijaw man.
The group said: “RRM as a group takes exception to the comments made by the leadership of INC in a press release on the issue going on in Rivers State.
“Rivers Restoration Movement knows this as a fact that the Benjamin Okaba-led INC worked against the emergence of Gov Sim Fubara in 2023 when the political leader of Rivers State and Minister of the FCT, H.E Nyesom Wike, did everything with the help of God and his faithful followers to ensure Gov Sim was victorious.
“So, one begins to wonder the intention of the found love to a man they said wasn’t a true Ijaw Man”.
RRM said it was also laughable that the INC would query Mr President’s body language, neutrality, honesty, and good faith in the Rivers crisis.
It said the Okaba-led INC was pretending not to know that Mr President was the pillar behind the peace deal that was brokered in the villa with all parties endorsing an agreement to end the crisis on the 18 of December 2023.
But RRM said INC kept mute as Fubara reneged and disobeyed the key provisions contained in the agreement supervised by the President as a father.
The group said: “It is public knowledge from the eight-point peace pact signed that Gov Sim refused to recognize the leadership of Rt Hon Martins Ahmaehule and 26 others as agreed but INC was nowhere to be found.
“INC was also silent when Gov Sim refused to allow the Rivers State House of Assembly to choose where to sit and perform their legislative duties.
“Prof Benjamin Okaba was silent when Gov Sim refused to re-represent the 2024 budget as agreed in Aso Rock and signed by all parties.
“The Governor also refused to adhere to the agreement that LGA structures will not be tampered with and caretaker members will not be formed as agreed but INC didn’t think it wise to release an official press statement then.
“It was on the foundation of all these flagrant disobedience to almost all the agreement reached that the Martins-led Rivers State House of Assembly decided to thread with caution after they withdrew their impeachment notice in line with the peace deal brokered by our father and President, H E. President Bola Tinubu.”
RRM said that 90 percent of Ijaw politicians and major stakeholders who worked for the victory of Fubara in 2023 under the leadership of Wike were standing solidly behind the political leadership of the FCT Minister.
The group said: “Ijaws are grateful people. A clear example is having 10 out of the 12 Ijaw slots in the Rivers State House of Assembly members standing on the side of truth with former Gov Wike.
“RRM is advising the Ijaw National Congress led by Prof Benjamin Okaba to look inwards and first apologise to Rivers people for betraying their son when in 2023 they worked against the emergence of Gov Sim Fubara.
“The Eastern Zone leaders of the same organization followed the same line to betray Gov Sim when the Minister of the FCT and his team worked day and night to ensure victory for Gov Sim Fubara.
“RRM is appealing to the Minister of the FCT and political leader of Rivers State to ignore comments from INC because we all know the Ijaws are grateful and have loyal leaders that can complete the tenure of the Ijaws through constitutional democratic process.”
