IYC condemns Wike’s civic reception in Port Harcourt

The new leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eastern Zone has dissociated the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality from a civic reception organised by some people they called ‘desperate politicians’ under the guise of Rivers Ijaw People’s Congress in honour of the former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike in Port-Harcourt on Saturday.

In a statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Group,Comrd Prince Datolu Sukubo and Comrd Tamunokuro Dango respectively,it said.

“The occasion being held at a period of mourning in Ijaw land over the unfortunate deaths of some innocent persons during the recent IYC Eastern Zone Election in Abuloma is ill-timed, ill-conceived and unsympathetic.

“More heartless and insensitive is the decision to hold the so-called civic reception within the Amadi-Ama axis of Port-Harcourt close to Abuloma where the unfortunate incident occurred.

“We view this charade as a callous disregard for the loss of lives which is akin to dancing on the graves of the dead,”the statement said.

The IYC further described the occasion as a gathering of strange bedfellows, frustrated politicians, conspirators, evil schemers and haters of the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara,  who they said is an Ijaw son.

“Their intention is to heighten political tension in the State and further destabilise the State to advance their evil plot against the Governor ahead of 2027.

“The so-called Rivers Ijaw People’s Congress created by some disgruntled politicians and loyalists of the FCT Minister is a political pressure group contrary to claim that it is a socio-cultural group under the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality.

“The sole purpose of creating the group under the guise of Ijaw people in Rivers State is to massage the ego of the FCT Minister and advance his inordinate quest of god-fatherism, which is alien in Rivers politics.

“While we convey our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and Abuloma Kingdom by extension over the avoidable deaths, we lend credence to the recent comment credited to the King of Abuloma HRH, (Brig. Gen) King Bright Ateke Fiboinumama (rtd), (Obe-Omumu-Odo), who attributed the incident to infiltration of the peaceful IYC election by rival groups to unleash mayhem in the area,” the statement said

The Group however, commended the Abuloma King for stating the obvious about what transpired during the IYC election not minding whose ox is gored.

They also applauded the immediate steps taken by our parent body the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and other leaders of thought of the Ijaw Nation to investigate the violence and killings that occurred during the IYC Eastern Zone election, with a view to preventing recurrence and redeem the image of the Ijaw Nation.

“The new leadership of IYC Eastern Zone would give the INC all necessary support in investigating the violence and killings, with a view to unravelling the truth, unmasking those responsible and bringing them to book,” the statement posited.