President of Ijaw National Congress, Benjamin Okaba, issued the warning on Thursday at the 56th celebration of the death of the late Ijaw hero, Isaac Adaka Boro, christened Boro Day in Yenagoa.
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has warned that the tenure of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in Rivers State should not be tampered with.
President of Ijaw National Congress, Benjamin Okaba, issued the warning on Thursday at the 56th celebration of the death of the late Ijaw hero, Isaac Adaka Boro, christened Boro Day in Yenagoa.
Speaking at the Ijaw Heroes Park, Okaba said, "It's the INC duty to defend the Ijaw cause. An injury to an Ijaw man is an injury to all of us. That is why we are so focused and committed in the Rivers cause.
"The Fubara - Dagogo governorship can never be tampered with. We are unrepentant in our struggle to make sure that 24 years of political slavery is a thing of the past.
"Fubara has become governor and he will remain governor. Anybody that wants to touch Fubara is touching the Ijaw nation."
Okaba defended the solidarity visit of Ijaw leaders to Fubara, saying "when some people criticise us that INC led a protest march in Port Harcourt, I don't have any apology for anybody".
"The matter was a serious one and it needed serious action. In advancing the Ijaw cause, we have also thought of what to do to go beyond rhetoric in advancing the programme of Ijaw people together to speak with one common voice," he said.
Okaba also warned that the Ijaw may exit Nigeria due to the frustration being faced in the nation, claiming that anything they have achieved is through struggle.
"We fought to have a state. We fought to have interventionist agencies. Nobody has given us anything on a platter of gold. So the struggle continues; the INC has the core mandate of uniting the Ijaw people. It also has the mandate of advancing the identity of an Ijaw man," he said.
Okaba unfurled a map of the Niger Delta region indicating the location of all Ijaw communities pointing out that his INC leadership has launched what he described as Ijaw Nation app to make communication easy among Ijaw people.
Secretary to the State Government, Nimibofa Ayawei, who represented Governor Douye Diri, said the "act of laying wreaths should not be merely annual ritual rather a profound renewal of confidentiality and commitment to Bayelsa State and the Ijaw Nation".
The ongoing rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike has triggered a political crisis in Rivers State.
Five pro-Wike commissioners resigned from Fubara's cabinet during the week.