Leaders from several ethnic groups in the Niger Delta have paid a solidarity visit to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to express gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for putting him in his cabinet.
The chiefs of the Niger Delta also thanked Wike on his appointment as minister.
According to a statement published on Saturday by Dr Kingsley Kuku, the 60-member delegation of renowned Niger Delta leaders was led by Prof A.W. Obianime, a former President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC).
On current political developments in Rivers, the leaders noted that the state 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.
“We join PANDEF, INC, IYC, MOSIEND, MOSOP, Ogbakor Ikwerre and all other responsible bodies in the Niger Delta in condemning the mischievous attempts at the State House of Assembly to impeach the State Governor on frivolous grounds of ‘gross misconduct’.
“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, Wike wields the influence to broker peace as both the executive and legislators consist of his political proteges.
“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 timely 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.
