๐ฉ๐ ๐น๐๐-๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Gabriel Tomoniโs recent broadcast attacking the Rivers Ijaw Peoplesโ Congress (RIPCO) is not only disappointing, it is deeply misdirected, emotional, and constitutionally hollow.
RIPCO did not issue its statement out of malice, betrayal, or hostility to the Ijaw Nation.
We spoke from history, from facts, and from a deep understanding of political reality; three things that cannot be replaced by ethnic chest-beating.
Let us be clear from the outset:
Nyesom Wike is not an enemy of the Ijaw Nation. Any attempt by the INC or IYC to frame him as such is intellectually dishonest and historically false.
๐ถ๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ – ๐ญ๐๐๐๐, ๐ต๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
Since becoming Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has facilitated over 20 federal appointments for Ijaw sons and daughters; the highest concentration of Ijaw federal appointments within a single political season in our history.
This is not propaganda. These appointments are verifiable in public records across federal boards, agencies, commissions, and ministerial structures.
For the avoidance of doubt:
Even during the presidency of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Ijaw Nation did not record this volume of strategic federal placements.
Influence in Nigerian politics is measured by access, appointments, and leverage, not by slogans and street rhetoric.
๐พ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐พ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ?
As Governor of Rivers State, Wike deliberately zoned virtually all critical power blocs of government to Ijaw interests, including:
– Key security-sensitive offices
– Revenue and infrastructure-driven ministries
– Strategic political and administrative appointments
– This was not accidental. It was intentional inclusion.
Yet today, the same man is being branded an โenemyโ by those who benefited most from his decisions.
– That is not activism.
– That is political amnesia.
๐ป๐๐ 24-๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐; ๐พ๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐?
Let history speak plainly.
After Dr. Peter Odili, Ijaws endured a 24-year governorship drought in Rivers State, dominated largely by Ikwere political succession.
Even Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, despite being Ijaw, and married to an Ijaw woman, could not produce an Ijaw Governor in Rivers State.
Why?
Because at critical moments, Ijaw political elites (Jonathan’s) abandoned their own credible sons, including:
– Abiye Sekibo
– George Sekibo
– Sampson Parker
– Tammy Danagogo
and others
They were abandoned not because they lacked competence, but because political pragmatism – not ethnic sentiment – favoured Wike as the only man capable of dismantling the Amaechi succession machine.
Those same Ijaw elites (Jonathan’s) rallied behind Wike, because they knew power respects capacity, not ancestry.
๐ฏ๐๐ ๐บ๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ณ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐ ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
It was Nyesom Wike – not the IYC, not the INC – that personally took responsibility to produce an Ijaw Governor in Siminalayi Fubara after 24 years of exclusion.
He had other viable options:
– Ogoni
– Ikwere
Yet he chose Ijaw.
That decision restructured Rivers politics permanently.
Three months into office, however, Governor Fubara turned against the very political structure that brought him to power.
Call it independence if you like – but rebellion without constitutional discipline is recklessness.
๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
This is where Gabriel Tomoni and his allies have failed the Ijaw Nation.
The Rivers crisis is no longer about Wike vs Fubara.
– It is about law vs impunity.
– The Supreme Court has ruled.
– The Constitution is clear.
– A Governor cannot lawfully spend public funds without presenting a budget.
– Persistent refusal constitutes gross misconduct.
Instead of mediating and calling their โsonโ to order, the INC and IYC chose ethnic bias over constitutional responsibility – openly cheering actions that undermine the rule of law.
– That is dangerous precedent.
– Today it favours an Ijaw man.
– Tomorrow it will destroy an Ijaw administration.
๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ – ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐, ๐ต๐๐ ๐ป๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐
If the Rivers State House of Assembly is moving toward impeachment, it is not because Fubara is Ijaw.
It is because:
– Court judgments are being ignored
– Legislative authority is being undermined
– Public funds are being spent outside constitutional limits
* No ethnic organization should defend illegality.
* Ijaw dignity is not protected by lawlessness.
๐พ๐๐ ๐น๐ฐ๐ท๐ช๐ถ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐
Rivers Ijaw Peoplesโ Congress has a simple, principled position:
– Yes, Fubara is our son.
– But the Constitution is superior to bloodlines.
– Wike stood by the law, the Assembly, and institutional order.
– We owe gratitude, not war, to the man who restored Ijaw relevance in Rivers politics.
โข Politics is memory.
โข Politics is reciprocity.
โข Politics punishes ingratitude.
If the Ijaw Nation is seen as hostile to allies after benefiting from them, other ethnic blocs will think twice before supporting an Ijaw cause in the future.
๐จ ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐๐๐
Gabriel Tomoni should redirect his courage.
Instead of attacking RIPCO, he should:
โข Admonish Governor Fubara to obey court judgments
โข Demand constitutional compliance
โข Call for reconciliation, not escalation
โข Defend the rule of law, not selective ethnicity
โข That is leadership.
๐ญ๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐ ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ช/๐ฐ๐ต๐ช
In three years, what tangible political capital has Governor Fubara delivered to the Ijaw Nation – locally or nationally?
Now compare that to:
– What Wike did in his first tenure as Governor
– What he is still doing today as FCT Minister
– Then answer honestly:
Who has truly proven himself a son of the Ijaw Nation – even if adopted?
๐ณ๐๐ ๐ด๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐ ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ด๐ ๐ท๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐:
RIPCO stands firm.
We choose:
โข Law over lawlessness
โข Strategy over sentiment
โข Gratitude over ingratitude
โข The future of the Ijaw Nation over temporary emotional applause
โข Wisdom is knowing when to fight and when not to destroy the ladder that lifted you.
โข Rivers Ijaw Peoplesโ Congress is on the right side of history.