Pauline Onyibe 
Former members of the Association of Local Government Nigeria (ALGON) who are Chairmen from Ijaw-dominated LGAs in Rivers State have condemned what they refer to as empty threats by non-state actors to unleash violence in Rivers State if there is any attempt to impeach the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, following the Supreme Court’s judgement.
The former Chairmen who were Campaign Coordinators for Fubara in their various LGAs called on the police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies to enforce the judgement of the Supreme Court.
In a letter on Sunday in Port Harcourt harcourt and endorsed by Daniel O. Daniel, Abua/Odual; Rowland Sekibo, Akuku Toru; Erastus Awortu, Andoni; Onengiye George, Asari Toru; Michael John Williams, Degema; Vincent Nemioboka, Ogu Bolo; Akuro Tobin, Okrika; Tamunotonye Douglas, Vice-Chairman Port Harcourt City and Ubile Jack, Vice-Chairman Ahoada West, it stated that Fubara failed to take the opportunity offered him by the Presidential intervention to end the crisis.
The Ijaw leaders, who said they remained the substantive chairmen of their local government areas following their aborted tenure extension, said they heaved a sigh of relief that the Supreme Court had ended the crisis.
They said the Supreme Court’s judgement invalidated the LGA elections for procedural irregularities, recognized the Rivers State House of Assembly and its speaker to ensure legislative certainty and ordered the Governor to respect enshrined constitutional provisions and wondered the basis for the threats.
“Unfortunately, our attention was drawn to both subtle and frontal threats to the Government, instigated by some individuals and organisations, who ostensibly are beneficiaries of the crises.
“It’s even worse that they use the Ijaw identity to fuel the embers of violence and intimidation of the Federal Government. In this category are organisations such as the Ijaw National Congress and some renegades of the Ijaw Youth Council.
“As a matter of fact, these organizations stated publicly that the Ijaws will resort to violence against critical national oil Infrastructure if Governor Fubara is impeached.
“This implies that these pro-ijaw ethnic organizations have not read the Supreme Court Judgement they so condemn.
“We stringently condemn those empty threats and urge the Federal Government and Nigerians to disregard such comments which project the Ijaws in a bad light.
“Moreso, it is a fact that these threats attack the sensitivity of people from other ethnic groups in Rivers State who also voted for Gov Siminalayi Fubara.
“We have also seen videos and press statements of supposed stakeholders including Prof. Benjamin Okaba, Alhaji Mujaheed Asari Dokubo threaten the energy security of the Nigerian State, if attempts at implementation of the Judgement leads to the impeachment of the Governor”.
“Did the Judgement call for impeachment of the Governor? The simple answer is no. Where were these persons who claim to be fighting the so-called Ijaw-fight when the Governor truncated the tenure and seized the allocation of the LGA, including those of us who are fellow Ijaws?
“Where were they when he stopped the salaries of the Assembly members and even made conscious attempts to use the courts to impeach them including 10 Ijaw sons? They were all unconcerned because they were benefitting from the crisis and are not ready to stop benefitting from it”.
“It should be recalled that Rivers State is a heterogenous state with people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. We frown at the regular use of our ethnic identity to threaten the rest of our countrymen because of the vast natural resources that are domiciled in the region.
“We want to assure Nigerians that we shall mobilize our massive support base to protect oil installation situate in our respective communities. We call on Governor Fubara to obey and ensure full compliance with the decisions of the Supreme Court.
“As everybody is aware, impeachment is a profound constitutional prescription to penalize any erring Governor or President in a presidential system of Government.
“The Ijaws should, at this point in time, ensure that their beloved son Gov Fubara does not carry out any act that will necessitate the deployment of this constitutionally approved procedure to check his excesses.
“To ensure the speedy implementation of the Supreme Court Judgement, we call on the Police, the DSS, the Military, and all other security agencies who have stake in the defence of the Nation and its mandate, to spread their tentacles in ensuring prompt and peaceful implementation of the Supreme Court Judgement,” the statement reads.
