The Ijaw National Congress (INC) around the world has called on President Bola Tinubu to call the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, to order him on the lingering crisis in Rivers.
INC President, Professor Benjamin Okaba, made this appeal at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Mr Wike and Governor Siminiarai Hubala are at loggerheads over control of the oil-rich state’s political institutions.
Mr Okaba said the INC was concerned that the political crisis, if left unchecked, could affect other parts of the country.
“As the President, the Father of the Nation and the alter ego of Nigeria, we fervently appeal to the FCT Minister to take command.
“This is for the peace and security of Nigeria. Stop this trend towards national collapse and anarchy now,” he said.
Mr Okaba maintained that the power struggle between Mr Wike and Mr Hubala may not be unrelated to the minister’s desire to improve Mr Tinubu’s electoral fortunes in the next general election.
“We understand the imperatives of politics and the need to gather Rivers votes for the election of the President for a second term.
“What we have misunderstood is the idea that only the FCT minister can support the president and get Mr. Rivers,” Okoba said.
He said Mr. Hubala had adhered to Mr. Tinubu’s eight-point instructions to the parties during the dispute resolution conference held in Abuja.
“In October 2023, you convened a meeting of stakeholders and issued an eight-point directive to all concerned to restore peace to Rivers.
“Many members of the public thought that your eight-point directive was clearly against the interest of the governor and tilted in favor of the FCT Minister, but the governor agreed with it,” he said.
Mr. Okaba said the governor acted in good faith regarding the directive, but the minister acted otherwise, including refusing to withdraw the lawsuit filed by the governor.
He added that less than three weeks after the President’s directive, Martins Amaefure led 25 members of the Rivers House of Assembly to defect to the opposition All People’s Congress.
On the just-conducted local government elections in the state, Mr. Okaba said the Supreme Court had ruled that local government areas in Nigeria must be managed by elected officials or funds must be withheld. Hubala said he complied with the order.
He said Mr Hubala worked diligently to uphold the Supreme Court judgment and bring about the reinstatement of elected officials to local government as per Mr Tinubu’s wishes.
He also said Mr. Hubala has a permanent olive branch and is constantly sending messengers of peace to the FCT Minister.
“We therefore once again call on the President to take a stitch in time and call an order to the FCT Minister. They say it will save nine people,” he said.
