The Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM) has cautioned Alhaji Asari Dokubo over his alleged inflammatory remarks labelling a particular ethnic group as “betrayers.’’
Dokubo, the leader of Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, had in a recent viral video, criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing the president of neglect after he purportedly supported his 2023 presidential bid.
Dokubo also vowed to form an alliance with the northern region and dump Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, RRM’s Director-General, Mr Johnson Georgewill, in a statement in Port Harcourt on Friday, urged Tinubu to disregard Dokubo’s remarks.
He clarified that Dokubo did not represent the views of the Ijaw people and lacked the political influence to deliver votes for any candidate in the 2027 elections.
“Dokubo’s comments disparaging President Tinubu and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and labelling Yorubas as betrayers are inciting.
“Firstly, Dokubo does not speak for the Ijaw people; and secondly, more than 90 per cent of Ijaws continue to support Tinubu due to his commitment to people of Ijaw descent.
“We question how a man who failed to deliver his unit for Tinubu in the 2023 elections and did not support Gov. Siminalayi Fubara’s bid now claims to be the voice of Ijaws.’’
Georgewill also faulted the former leader of Niger-Delta agitators’ claim of spending 2 million dollars to support Tinubu’s election, describing it as baseless.
He dismissed Dokubo’s threat to align the South-South with the North for the 2027 elections, stating it was doomed to fail due his lack of political influence.
“This notion that Dokubo could deliver any candidate in the 2027 elections is unfounded; thus, calls to abandon any candidate based on his remarks should be ignored.
“The Ijaw people are appreciative of both Tinubu and Wike for their support, particularly their role in enabling Fubara, an Ijaw, to assume office as Rivers governor after 24 years,” he said.
Georgewill appealed to political leaders advocating for zoning the Rivers governorship to another zone in 2027 to reconsider.
He appealed that the Ijaws be allowed to complete second four-year tenure in office. (NAN)