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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The apex body of the Ijaw nation, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), has summoned an emergency meeting of top Ijaw leaders in Yenagoa today.
Though the notice of the meeting signed by the national secretary, Ebipanowei Wodu, did not state the agenda, sources within the INC said the issue of the state of emergency in Rivers State, which removed Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office, would top discussion. Ijaw groups and individuals like the Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, former president, Goodluck Jonathan, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), have kicked against the emergency rule.
The notice of the meeting indicated that those expected at the meeting include Jonathan, being a former President from the Ijaw extraction, current governors of the Ijaw extraction and all former governors and deputy governors from the Ijaw nation.
Also expected to be in attendance are all serving and former federal ministers, serving and former federal lawmakers, former justices of the Supreme Court, former and current state lawmakers of the Ijaw extraction, current and former Ambassadors of the Ijaw extraction and all retired military officers not below the rank of Brigadier General from the Ijaw extraction.
Others invited include clan heads, former presidents of the INC, all members of the IYC executive committee, former presidents of the IYC, all first-class kings in Ijaw land, three elders from the three zones in the Ijaw nation, selected members of the clergy and leadership of the Ijaw Women Connect.
