A political pressure group, the Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM), has accused the president of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Benjamin Okaba, of actively working against the emergence of Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, during the 2023 elections. The group claims that Okaba and the INC, despite their current stance, did not support Governor Fubara during the crucial period of his rise to power.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt, RRM reacted to a recent statement attributed to Okaba regarding the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State. The statement, signed by Hon. Johnson Georgewill, the group’s director-general, and Mrs. Sarima Akpata, the secretary, expressed their displeasure at the INC’s involvement in the matter, accusing them of hypocrisy.
The statement reads in part: “The Rivers Restoration Movement knows as a fact that the Benjamin Okaba-led INC worked against the emergence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in 2023. This was at a time when the political leader of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, did everything within his power, alongside the help of God and his dedicated supporters, to ensure Governor Sim’s victory. It is puzzling to witness this newfound loyalty towards a man they previously claimed was not a true Ijaw man.”
The RRM expressed disbelief at the INC’s recent comments, particularly their criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s neutrality in the Rivers State crisis. “It is laughable that the INC would caution the President’s body language, neutrality, honesty, and good faith when they know that Mr. President was the key figure behind the peace deal brokered in the Villa, with all parties signing an agreement on the 18th of December 2023. Yet, Governor Fubara reneged on almost everything Mr. President instructed him to do, despite the clear guidance given.”
According to RRM, the peace deal included an 8-point agreement, which Governor Fubara allegedly failed to uphold. Notably, the governor reportedly refused to acknowledge the leadership of Rt. Hon. Martins Ahmaehule and 26 other lawmakers, a move that directly violated the terms of the agreement.
The group also criticized the INC for remaining silent on several critical issues, including Governor Fubara’s refusal to allow the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) to choose its sitting location and perform its legislative duties. “The INC was conspicuously absent and quiet when Governor Sim disallowed the Assembly from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities, raising questions about their sincerity.”
Further complicating matters, the RRM pointed out that Governor Fubara had failed to fulfill a key component of the peace agreement — the presentation of the 2024 state budget as agreed during the Aso Rock peace talks. “Professor Benjamin Okaba was nowhere to be found when Governor Sim neglected to present the 2024 budget, despite the commitment made and signed by all parties involved,” the group added.
The RRM concluded its statement by calling on the INC and Professor Okaba to clarify their current stance on Governor Fubara and to address the inconsistencies in their previous actions versus their present rhetoric. The group insists that the INC’s failure to speak up during Governor Fubara’s defiance of key agreements is concerning, and they are demanding accountability from all parties involved.
