The leadership of the Ijaw ethnic nationality has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over alleged derogatory remarks about the Ijaw people and the late elder statesman, Pa Edwin Clark.
The demand was made during a one-day Ijaw National Sensitization Rally held in Bomadi, the headquarters of Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State.
Titled “Stand Up for Ijaw Nation and Pa E.K. Clark,” the rally was organized by the Congress for Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities (CONDEN) in collaboration with Ijaw groups from the Western Zone.
The event served as a platform for the Ijaw people to voice their concerns about Wike’s comments and demand accountability.
The President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Benjamin Okaba, addressed the rally and strongly condemned Wike’s comments, calling them an insult to the entire Ijaw nation. Okaba emphasized the need for action and unity among the Ijaw people to protect their dignity.
“We have remained silent for too long. It’s time for the Ijaw to act, and the time is now. We must redeem our image. Wike, who sent thunder against the Ijaw people, is now facing the consequences of his own words,” Okaba stated.
Okaba also announced plans for similar rallies to be held in Bayelsa and Rivers states, with further actions to be taken based on the outcome of those events.
The pioneer president of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and initiator of the 1998 Kaiama Declaration, Felix Tuodolo, also took aim at Wike for allegedly misrepresenting the Ijaw population.
Tuodolo refuted Wike’s claim that the Ijaw are a minority of the minorities in the Niger Delta, emphasizing that the Ijaw are the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria and the majority ethnic group in Rivers State, with ten local governments compared to Wike’s Ikwerre, which has only two.
“Wike is very poor in mathematics and history for calling the Ijaw a minority of the minorities in the Niger Delta, contrary to census figures. The Ijaw are the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria and the majority in Rivers State,” Tuodolo stated.
Tuodolo further called on Ijaw leaders to unite under a single agenda to combat political marginalization and advocate for fair representation. He made it clear that the rally was not targeted at any specific ethnic group but was a call for justice for the Ijaw people.
Several other prominent speakers, including Nollywood actress Hilda Dokubo and leaders of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) from both the Western and Eastern Zones, echoed similar sentiments.
Representatives from other ethnic groups, such as the Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU), Isoko, and Ndokwa, also expressed their solidarity with the Ijaw people’s cause.
In a statement signed by Hendrick Opukeme on behalf of CONDEN, the Ijaw nation accused Wike of fueling political crises in Rivers State.
The group demanded his immediate suspension, stressing that the Federal Government’s stance on justice would be seen as selective if no action is taken.
“We proclaim our unwavering commitment to the struggle for our people’s rights and dignity. For too long, we have been silent while our resources are plundered, our environment desecrated, and our future mortgaged. Enough is enough,” the statement read.
The Ijaw leadership has vowed to continue advocating for their rights and ensuring that their concerns are addressed. They reiterated that unless Wike is suspended, the Federal Government’s commitment to justice will be called into question.
