A former President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, has insisted that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has done better for Ijaw people than those fighting him.
Eradiri, a former Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Bayelsa slammed the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri for his alleged political rift with Wike.
He said Diri should stop dragging the entire Ijaw nation into his alleged fight for political survival in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Eradiri who spoke in a statement made available to journalists in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, clarified that he was neither a Wike’s man nor looking for the Minister’s endorsement recalling that he tried to get Wike’s nod as a candidate of the LP during the last governorship election in Bayelsa, but that some persons around the Minister blocked him.
He said: “I guess it was the game at the time because a Wike’s endorsement would have perhaps made the outcome of the governorship election different as evident his support led to the victory of Douye Diri because if not for the cancellation of Chief Timipre Sylva’s stronghold made possible by Wike’s support things would have been different.
“This is why I am talking about the hypocrisy on display today. When Douye Diri, ‘Governor-General of the Ijaw Nation’, went down to kneel down for Wike to collect power he used in Ijawland to win Sylva and myself, where was the Ijaw pride they so profess today?”
Eradiri queried the whereabouts of “today’s so-called Ijaw lovers” when Wike splashed N5bn on the dilapidated Law School in Yenagoa, which was abandoned by those claiming to love Ijaw more than others.
He asked those fighting Wike to take a trip to Port Harcourt in Rivers and behold the magnificent Law School Wike built in Ikwerre land.
Eradiri asked persons, who he said claimed Wike insulted the Ijaw nation, to replay the Minister’s statements and judge for themselves without biases if what the Minister said was not bitter truth.
Eradiri said: “As usual, our people don’t read or listen. They simply went to the Ijaw square to sentence Wike. Without even knowing what the issues were, they jumped into the bandwagon of crucification.
“Lets even ask ourselves, this our Ijawness, why is it not in the development and progress of our nation and people? Why always solidarity at war but not for development?
“Look at Yenagoa, the capital of Ijaw nation, like a place where mad people reside replete with abandoned projects courtesy of some Ijaw leaders, yet no solidarity is shown for the development, light up and progress of Ijaw nation.
“Our airport is moribund and our schools are a disgrace to education. Young talents are deliberately not encouraged to stardom; jobless youths roam the streets due to visionless leadership; no hope of survival but you are very active for solidarity to fight political battles of those impoverishing them.
“There are herdsmen in our bushes killing and destroying our crops yet no solidarity to deal with such a menace but same youths can gather against a speech of fact from deputy governor but they cannot gather for their progress but easy to gather against a perceived political enemy?”
Eradiri said Wike suddenly became an enemy of Ijaw simply because he took the PDP from Douye Diri and his colleague governors. “When did Ijaw people choose PDP as Ijaw party? Diri should go and deal with his issues in PDP and stop dragging jaw people into what does not concern us”, he said.
Eradiri accused suspended Governor Fubara of alleged incompetent “As for Governor Siminalayi Fubara, he is incompetent and that is what has brought all this negative energy. He should not involve Ijaw in his political issues and affairs. Let him tell us how he has supported the Ijaws or Ijaw activities?
“How many Ijaws of Rivers State did he empower that he is demanding Ijaw support now? How many of the IYC comrades in the Eastern zone were LGA chairmen, commissioners and appointees in his government?
“Or are all the Ijaw youths of the Eastern Zone only good at supporting political fights but not good enough for appointment and empowerment? When Chief Wike visits Abalama, how much did Fubara mobilise his people? Wike is a fighter and I like his style.”
He added “I advise Fubara to go and kneel before Wike and beg for forgiveness. Those who are deceiving him have no balls. They go cap in hand kneeling and begging the same Wike when they get it, they come in the open to claim Ijaw lions.
“Now, Fubara is the one outside where they are ranting. Mr. President used the state of emergency to save Fubara and the Ijaw nation from the embarrassment of impeachment. He should thank and appreciate President Bola Tinubu.”
Eradiri criticised the way and manner the Ijaw National Congress (INC) handled the Rivers crisis and warned the body against ethicising political issues, insisting that the INC brought the Rivers embarrassment on the Ijaw nation.
Eradiri said the NDDC Forensic Report revealed that those so-called lovers of Ijaw nation looted the commission and stole money meant to develop the same Ijawland, adding that they got paid for contracts but refused to execute them.
He said they deliberately underdeveloped the only Ijaw state, noting that they collapsed the educational system and resorted to sending their children abroad.
Blessing Ibunge
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