A sociopolitical group, Ijaw Unity Vanguard (IUV), has said that Ijaw people of Rivers State will never abandon one of their own and governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, for whatever reason.

The group declared that abandoning Fubara was unthinkable for the Ijaw people, having waited for 24 years to have a Rivers State governor of Ijaw extraction and given the position of the apex Ijaw socio-political organisation, Ijaw National Congress (INC), which is binding on every Ijaw man and woman.

IUV, in a statement on Thursday, signed by its President, Comrade Dagogo Tamuno-Idah, was reacting to what it called a misrepresentation of facts by some persons regarding a communiqué of the Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress on the political crisis in Rivers State.

“Our attention has been drawn to the false narrative by promoters of former governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over the recent position of the Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress.

“The promoters of Wike erroneously claim that, the Ijaw people have abandoned their son and current Governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara, in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.

“These reckless and misguided elements specifically sight the communiqué of the Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress, read by the President of Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress, Senator George Sekibo, after an extraordinary meeting, held on Saturday, June 1st, 2024, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

“For the records, the extraordinary ordinary meeting of the Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress was not a referendum between Governor Fubara and the FCT Minister.

“Therefore, there is no way the Ijaw people in Rivers State would have pitched tent with Wike over their son, Governor Fubara.

“It is necessary to remind the falsehood merchants that, Ijaw people waited for 24 years to have their own as governor of Rivers State.

“Why then would Ijaw people suddenly abandon Governor Sim, an Ijaw man, within a year for a man (Wike) who was declared an enemy of the Ijaw nation in 2022 by the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC)?

“Recall that, in 2022, Wike rained curses on members of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) and even invoked thunder (Thunder fire you) to descend on members  of the Ijaw groups for demanding the release of a federal lawmaker, Farah Dagogo, from prison custody. Why then will an Ijaw man or woman now abandon Fubara for Wike? It is also necessary to remind those tarnishing the image of Ijaw people that, Ijaw people are not sellouts, they don’t betray their own.

“We invite them to take note of resolution of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) in their meeting of Tuesday, June 04, 2024, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, wherein the leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) resolved not to the abandon their son, Governor Siminalayi Fubara in the Rivers political crisis.

“The INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, clearly stated the position of the Ijaw people, and that position is sacrosanct and binding on every Ijaw man or woman, young or old, irrespective of his or her political or religious affiliation as well as social status.

“Finally, we want the world to know that, Ijaw people are not sellouts, we will never betray our own, no matter the offer,” Tamuno-Idah stated.