INC tackles Wike for calling Ijaw ‘minority of minorities’

Urges Tinubu To Caution Minister
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has tackled the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike for calling the Ijaws the ‘minority of minorities’.

INC in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, which was made available to newsmen on Friday after a crucial meeting, said the minister’s assertion betrays a “lack of intellectual depth.”

Oyakemeagbegha alleged that Wike made the comment under the influence of misinformation, stating that given his eight-year tenure as governor of Rivers State, he is expected to have a more informed understanding of the state’s history.

He said Wike’s intention to create divisions between the Ijaws and other ethnic nationalities has failed, adding that the INC is aware of his plan to instigate crisis in the Niger Delta region but has vowed to continue to maintain peace and stability.

The group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution Wike, stating that he should order him to redirect his focus to his ministerial duties.

Recall that the minister while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday over the protracted political crisis in Rivers State claimed that an Ijaw man couldn’t have become governor in Rivers State without his support because they are the ‘minority of minorities’.

The INC, on its part, had earlier threatened that any attempt to impeach Governor Siminalyi Fubara, who is an Ijaw man, would have dire consequences on the nation’s economy.

Reacting to the Minister’s assertion, the INC said: “Wike’s assertion that the Ijaws are a minority of minorities betrays a lack of intellectual depth. For the record, the Ijaws are the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, with over 40 million people, and the oldest tribe in Nigeria, as documented in history. They are the largest ethnic group in Rivers State, with eight local government areas, and also not a minority in Delta.

“We suspect that Wike’s comments were made under the influence of misinformation and otherwise. The Ijaws have consistently advocated for fairness and equity in the Niger Delta region and the South-South, and we will not be swayed by individual attempts to provoke us.”

The body said it remains committed to preserving the harmony enjoyed by residents of the Niger Delta region.

Meanwhile, a group, Ijaws For Tinubu 2027, has urged President Tinubu to sack Wike if he hopes to secure a second term in office.

The group, led by Tamuno Esiri, made the call during a press conference in Port Harcourt, where they claimed that Wike’s presence in the cabinet poses a threat to democracy and peace in the Niger Delta.

According to Esiri, Wike has lost his political goodwill in Rivers State, with the majority of residents solidly behind Fubara. This, he argued, makes it unlikely for Wike to deliver votes for Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

“We are giving President Tinubu this advice because we believe that Wike’s continued presence in his cabinet will do more harm than good to his re-election bid,” Esiri said.