Several Ijaw leaders call for a summit on self-determination in response to Rivers State crisis

MEMBERS of Nigeria's fourth largest ethnic group may hold a series of meetings over the coming weeks to debate the vexed issue of self-determination following the recent decision by the federal government to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.

Following ongoing and incessant spats between the Rivers State governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, the Federal Capital Territory minister Nyesom Wike, the federal government decided to dissolve the state government. President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the governor and appointing the former chief of naval staff Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as administrator for six months.

Rivers State is populated by a mixture of ethnic groups including the Ijaw, Ikwerre, Ogoni, Ubani, Etche, Ekpeye, etc but Admiral Ibas is from neighbouring Akwa Ibom State. Being the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria with a presence in six states, the Ijaw see the current situation as a slight and several of their leaders have called for a debate on their status.

Professor Benjamin Okaba, the president of Ijaw National Congress (INC), said: “For Ijaw people, we are not too happy because we see this as another slap on us. But again, our position will be deliberated upon in a wider stakeholders’ meeting that will be convened later.

“In that meeting, I am sure the Ijaw people will look at how we have fared in this Nigerian project and what options are left to drive home our quest for self-determination. We say it is hasty because the president has so much opportunity to leverage on the calls made by Nigerians from all quarters to call his minister, Nyesom Wike, to order.

“Secondly, while Wike himself has been the antagonist, he has boldly stated that he would make governance impossible for the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in as much as he does not dance to his tune. In a recent statement credited to him, Wike said the two conditions he must meet are to allow him to control all the local governments in Rivers State and that Fubara should sign an agreement that he would not contest in 2027.

He added that Mr Wike has to be sacked and all the federal appointees from the state also have to be sacked because if not, they will use their positions to perpetrate more crises and create more advantageous roles for themselves. According to Professor Okaba, the cry that they want to take over Rivers State is gradually playing out and is not better for democracy.

Miakpor Emiaso, a retired president of Delta State Customary Court, added: “I suppose it is an inevitable, yet, unfortunate imperative that we have found ourselves in Rivers State. My misgivings are one, the president’s language declaring the state of emergency has some subtle political bias.

"If you noticed, the president never mentioned the name of the speaker in the broadcast, nor did he refer to the well-known external influence on the Rivers State House of Assembly, which is the origin of this crisis. As it is now, the state of emergency seems to have given thumbs up for vaunting god-fatherism because you could say that now that the president has gone this way, he has not mentioned the external influence, especially Wike, who is the origin of all these.

“If the president wants to be viewed as fair, he should move Wike from where he is now, otherwise, Wike will not keep quiet. He will try to reach the administrator to influence him in one way or another.

Dr Chris Ekyor, the former president of Ijaw Youth Council (INC), said: “The state of emergency came to me as a rude shock. It gives the impression that the president is answerable to his minister.

“Wike strategically orchestrated all the crises in Rivers State while the president watched. What are the contending issues of the Rivers State’s politics? The defection of 27 lawmakers, and what does the Electoral Act say about such a defection

 “If it had been done correctly, the current crisis in Rivers State would have been long resolved. Wike left the issues and threatened the entire Ijaw people over a mere disagreement with his candidate, who became governor of Rivers State. How does that concern the rest of the Ijaw people?

“President Tinubu rebelled against the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, between 2003 and 2007, as the governor of Lagos State. No state of emergency was declared on him. Under President Yar’Adua, Atlas Cove was blown in 2009, yet no state of emergency in Lagos, so how did the president conclude that Fubara is behind the explosions in Rivers State?"

So far, no meetings have been called of the INC or IYC to debate the crisis but it is expected that calls for a summit of some sort will grow soon. Nigeria's Ijaws have a presence in Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Ondo and Edo states.