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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Watchdog for Progressive Ijaw (WPI) has accused the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, of attempting to create a crisis in the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.
The WPI’s reaction is coming after Fubara’s received Dr. Theophilus Alaye in Rivers State Government House on December 11, where he described him as the President of the IYC.
The group expressed shock and disbelief that Fubara recently recognised Alaye as the President of the council, describing it as the height of indiscretion.
A statement by its coordinator, Lambert Olambo, yesterday, queried Fubara’s decision to receive Alaye in Rivers Government House, Port Harcourt, and address him as the IYC President.
Olambo noted that by such a singular act, Fubara had betrayed the confidence reposed in him as a leader expected to galvanise and unite the youths in the IYC.
Describing the governor’s action as a betrayal of his office, Olambo queried the leadership style of Fubara, saying his recent actions had shown him as the aggressor in the ongoing political crisis in the state.
He said as a governor, Fubara was supposed to have conducted due diligence and be abreast of the issues in IYC before taking any decision.
He stated that Fubara acted without information, insisting that there was no doubt that Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri Jnr remained the authentic and only President of the IYC.
According to him, any other person parading himself in a similar capacity is an impostor not recognised by the Ijaw youths.
He said Lokpobiri was properly elected in a constitutionally valid congress and had been recognised by all the structures in IYC and stakeholders of the Ijaw nation as the incumbent President of IYC.
“We want to tell Governor Fubara that there is no crisis in IYC and that there is only one president of the council and that only authentic and subsisting president is Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri Jnr.
“Lokpobiri has been recognised by all the structures of IYC and stakeholders in the Ijaw nation. There is no amount of lies, propaganda, and falsehoods based on the political crisis in Rivers State that can change that fact.
“We are only disappointed that Fubara has descended to the arena, maybe, for his political convenience. We want to warn that IYC is not a political organisation and should not be dragged into Rivers politics,” Olambo said.
