The South-South Reawakening Group, SSRG, has called on the Ijaw National Congress, INC, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC and other organizations in the Niger Delta to refrain from threatening violence over the political crisis in Rivers state.
The group said though the outcome of the Supreme Court may not have gone down well with the state government, “it is not enough for anybody to threaten violence as a way of venting anger over the matter”.
Joseph Ambakederimo, Convener South South Reawakening Group in a statement in Port Harcourt on Wednesday some damaging comments or actions made by the groups and other individuals were detrimental to peaceful coexistence in the polity.
“We enjoined our people to at all times abide by dialogue and follow through with due process to resolve political misunderstanding. We are sounding this warning more especially when the Governor himself has pledged to abide by the Supreme Court judgement and implement same to the latter.
“The Governors position is the right thing to do and every responsible democrat should do, therefore any other extraneous approach should be discountenanced at this time”.
Ambakaderimo said that the era of vandalization of Oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta region is old fashioned and such thoughts should be divorced from every one’s mind while dialogue should be the way to go and “reason should provide for us the pathway forward”.
He also called on the Governor to be circumspect about his own choice of words. “He should do more of strategic engagement rather than going further into sleepy slop. The wellbeing of the Rivers people should be paramount at this time and not engaging with misdirected trouble mongers”.
Meanwhile, Babbe Youths in Ogoni called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to checkmate the excesses of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and RT. Hon. Martins Amaehule, in Rivers State to allow Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara to focus on the development of Ogoniland and other parts of the state.
The youths made that appeal at the presidential dialogue and consultation committee on oil and gas exploration in Ogoniland, held in Bori, Khana local government area of the state on Wednesday.
Comrade Effort Ndeesor, a youth leader in Ogoni urged President Tinubu to caution Chief Nyesom Wike and Martins Amaehule against interfering with governance in Rivers State.
He emphasized the need for Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara to focus on governing the state without distractions. He warmed that “nobody can remove the first elected governor from Rivers South East Senatorial District and that Ogonis are united and in solidarity with Opobo people, because they are our good neighbours and brothers.
“This call to action underscores concerns about potential power struggles and the importance of allowing democratically elected officials to fulfill their duties without undue influence or interference”.
Solomon Lenu of the civil society group said “Enough is enough; we won’t allow anyone to disrupt the peace in Rivers State. We received the news of the Supreme Court judgment with mixed feelings and heavy hearts, but we’ll abide by the rule of law.
“The Babbe people remain committed to peaceful resolution”, emphasizing the need to allow the governor to work for the benefit of the state. “We won’t be intimidated or distracted; we’ll continue to support the governor’s efforts to develop Rivers State,” Lenu concluded.
