Omiete Blessing
The Ijaw ethnic nationality under the aegis of Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress (RIPCO) has apologized to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the alleged misdeeds of the Rivers State Governor, Mr Siminalayi Fubara.
Rivers Ijaw made the apology through the Director, Finance and Administration, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Boma Iyaye, on Saturday, at a civic reception the group organised for the FCT Minister, in Port Harcourt.
Speaking, Iyaye told Wike to disregard the alleged misbehaviour of an individual and continue to relate with the Ijaw people and begged him not to judge the Ijaws on Rivers through the behaviour of one person.
He said: “I want to apologize to you for what our son is doing to you. We are sorry. It is not in our nature to pay good with evil. Don’t because of this bad behavior and run away from us.
“Continue to be our brother. It is not because we fail exam we won’t repeat it again. We are not ungrateful people. That is why we are celebrating you”.
The reception attracted Ijaw leaders, traditional rulers, politicians among others from Ijaw dominated local government areas of Rivers.
All known Ijaw cultural dance troupes and wrestling groups were in display to welcome Wike, whom they said Ijaw would eternally remain grateful to for producing from among them a governor and influencing the appointments of their sons and daughters at the federal level.
The FCT Minister was accompanied to the event by the Petroleum Minister, State, Heineken Lokpobiri; Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri; former governors and members of the G5, Samuel Ortom, Benue; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu and Okezie Ikpeazu, among others.
In his speech, Wike mocked the camp of governor Fubara for opting for the APP as their alternative political party.
He said: “Imagine in Rivers they are contemplating of APP. It is not about money. Money does not move. You can have all the money but if there is no capacity there is no capacity.
“All the things you see are people envious of our growth. We have defeated them severally and if opportunity comes again we will defeat them
“We have not started politics, when the time comes we will play politics. Our job is politics. Tell them to keep their party ready. We will teach them what is called politics”.
Wike, who called all House of Assembly members representing Ijaw extraction to join him on the stage, said out of 12 of them 10 were supporting the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule.
He said the 10 were against the alleged abuse of the constitution and non performance of the governor.
Wike said it was nor true that Ijaw people were fighting him but that few ungrateful people among the ethnic nationality were put up such disposition.
He said: “It is an interesting occasion. Why they honoured me. Many people go and speak on TV as if they are representing Ijaw. Ten Ijaw lawmakers out of 12 are saying that the governor has done infractions of the Constitution.
“These are people representing Ijaw in the Assembly and they are saying that he is not doing well. If anybody tells you that Ijaw people are fighting me. It is not true. It is just few ungrateful Ijaw people.
If a father has 12 children one can be an armed robber, does it mean all of them are armed robbers?”
Wike described the crisis period in Rivers as a time for some people to enrich themselves adding that such persons see the state government as a big market.
He said someone from Delta State spoke about Ijaw governor but that he told the person to emulate him and make an Ijaw person a governor in Delta.
Wike said persons, who initially told him that they would not serve him, the master, and still serve, the servant, Fubara, were the ones running to the servant in pursuit of their stomachs.
But he said: “They are not fighting me. I am too big. If you don’t recognize someone bigger than you, know you are sick. I am far bigger and all of them put together they can’t withstand it”.
Alluding to the Edo State election, Wike wondered why people were faced with examination but they chose to be concerned about his Rivers State PDP structures.
He said: “You have exam and instead of you to concentrate on the exam you are going to do protest now you have failed and you said teacher failed you.
“They went to the TV to say I made them fail. Go and carry your problem. It is a lesson to others. Don’t touch Rivers. It is a special state. Continue to be united for the interest of Rivers. Don’t lose hope. We must continue to work together”.
Wike observed that his rivals had not won any matter they had instituted against members of the state House of Assembly describing Fubara’s camp as disorganized.
He confirmed that his detractors sent some thugs with dynamites to attack the venue of the event, but that the police caught the suspects.
Wike said the people would hear from him through their leaders the next line of action adding they would continue to support the administration of President Tinubu
He said: “They sent some boys with dynamites to come and dynamite here but police arrested them. This one is now known. Let me see how they would hide it. Where the Minister of FCT and governors are coming they sent boys to dynamite here. Let me see how they release them.
“The fact that we chose to be law-abiding. We will continue to support the administration of President Tinubu. I can come home any time because I stand tall to challenge anybody”.
In his goodwill message, the Managing Director, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, said he was a direct beneficiary of Wike’s benevolence.
“I am a direct beneficiary of your goodwill. We thank you for what you have done for Ijaw people. You are instrumental for me being the MD. While we are transiting, you supported me and brought a brother to work with me.
“The Ijaws have no reason to complain because we now have MD and Director of Finance and Administration. I am standing here to say thank you. You have displayed unalloyed loyalty and support for Mr. President.
“You supported him to ensure he won his election and that his administration succeeds. I am also committing my support to you. We know you love the Ijaw. I saw the series of appointments and majority are sons and daughters of the Ijaw nation”.
On his part, Lokpobiri said Wike made his appointment possible disclosing that the discussions that gave him the appointment started at Wike’s home in Port Harcourt and ended at FCT Minister’s Abuja house.
He said: “I am proud to be here. My kinsmen from Rivers have identified the strategic help, leadership and partnership between Wike and the Ijaw people. He made my appointment possible. My case was a more direct role.
“It started in his house in Port Harcourt and was concluded in his house in Abuja. It is important to complete this history. We have a brother and a friend. It is better to have a good friend than to have a bad brother. A bad brother is of no use. But a good brother is a blessing”.
Speaking on behalf of the G5, former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, described Wike as a good man, who would never abandon his friends.
“We appreciate God for Wike and we appreciate Ijaw people for this reception. He is a good man and a good friend and brother. He will not abandon his friend and brother at the time of his needs. We appreciate Mr. President for appointing you the Minister and we appreciate you for not disappointing Mr. President. We pray for you”, he said.
The Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri described the celebration as an honor and a means to build peace in Rivers.
He said as one of the leaders of the PDP, they would continue to look for ways to reconcile Wike and the governor.
