Wike, Fubara Feud: Ijaw Leaders Meet in Yenagoa, Back Rivers Governor

Segun James

The leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) yesterday rose from a meeting by the Ijaw Peoples Congress and resolved not the abandon their son, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, even as they promised to wade into the political crisis rocking the polity in Rivers State.

At the meeting which was held at Yenagoa, INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, said the Rivers delegation which was led by Senator George Sekibo, noted that the crisis should be resolved amicably, saying both Fubara and Wike “are our sons. And a fight between members of the same family can be resolved tin the interest of all.”

Okaba added: “Our brother was attacked and we will not keep quiet,” pointing out that the INC was not happy at the division in the rank of the Ijaw people.

But he stressed that, “We don’t have a fight with Wike.”

According to him, when the former Rivers State governor was lambasted in Abuja, it was the INC that stood up for him.

He explained that a governor of Ijaw extraction had long been a project of the INC and they had waited for 24 years to have a governor in Rivers State.

According to him, the members of the Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress were free to be loyal to Wike, but warned that the loyalty should not sabotage Ijaw interest.

Okaba said: “You made a point that you do not have a problem with Sim. I read your communiqué before you got here. Let us not insult the governor of Rivers State. He remains your governor and nobody can change that.”

He enjoined the delegation to protect Fubara and not allow anyone to sow seeds of discord among them as the objective of INC remained the unity and advancement of the Ijaw people.

Earlier, the leader of the Rivers delegation, Sekibo, said they were seeking reasons why “they are fighting Wike” whom he described as “our own leader.”

Sekibo said the Ijaw was a minority group in Rivers State and it would have been difficult for them to wrestle power, but for the support of Wike.