Leaders of various ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta have paid a solidarity visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to convey the region’s appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and congratulate the minister on his appointment.
A statement issued by Kingsley) Kuku on Saturday noted that the 60-member delegation of prominent Niger Delta leaders was led by A.W. Obianime, a former president of the Ijaw National Congress (INC).
On current political developments in Rivers, the leaders noted that Rivers was strategic to the South-south region and could not afford to be in crisis.
“As Lagos State is very dear to the South-west, so is Rivers State to the Niger Delta. This is because as an injury to one is an injury to all, we feel justified to condemn the macabre dance playing out there
“It is quite unacceptable to us and to the entire Niger Delta. Any person, authority or group of persons involved in stoking this fire is strongly advised to desist from it and allow peace to reign,” the statement said.
The statement noted that as a political leader in Rivers, Mr Wike wields the influence to broker peace as both the executive and legislators consist of his political protégé.
“They will listen to you when you talk to them. All eyes are on you. Be the peacemaker that you are and do all you can to quench this fire before it becomes devastating.
“The consequences will do no one any good. It will not also speak well of us as Rivers people in particular and Niger Deltans in general.
“Your silence in this matter will not be golden and the world will think you’re playing the ostrich.
“We plead with you to step into a peaceful resolution of this matter so that the Nigerian populace will not say that Pompey was drinking tea when Rome was burning,” the statement said.
It further noted that the leaders drawn from various states of the Niger Delta region paid the visit to show their support to Mr Wike following recent comments by Sheik Gumi and advocate a resolution of the political turmoil in Rivers.
“Hon. Minister, a pertinent area that invites our attention and solidarity with you concerns your recent verbal encounter with Sheikh Ahmed Gumi. Although many people have reacted in various ways to this statement, we feel duty-bound to also lend our voices.
“To say the least, Gumi’s arrogation of exclusive ownership and monopoly of administration of Abuja by a given ethno-religious region in Nigeria is not only disgusting, senseless but also puerile, hubristic, irresponsible and divisive.
“It clearly goes against the grain of Abuja as the melting pot of Nigeria and therefore highly condemnable.
“We are glad for the avalanche of criticism against his unguarded statement from every nook and cranny and the denial of his mean and myopic position even by the Northern Elders Forum (N.E.F),” the statement said.
According to the statement, Mr Wike is not a political orphan from the Niger Delta as he has a very strong socio-political base.
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