Ijaw Youths from the Nine States of the Niger Delta region under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide have urged the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike to rescind his order for the arrest of the member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Farah Dagogo over allegation of violence against the Secretariat of the PDP in the state.
According to the IYC, despite the calls by Rivers Stakeholders on Gov. Wike to give a level playing ground to all those who are vying to become the Governor of Rivers State in the next gubernatorial election, the arrest order issued against Hon. Dagogo will be viewed as showing there is no level playing ground and a selective witch hunt in the processes leading to the selection of Governorship candidates for PDP in the state.
The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) made this known through its National Spokesman, Comr. Ebilade Ekerefe after a reported declaration of an Ijaw son, Hon. Farah Dagogo, wanted by the Rivers state government over his alleged involvement in a non-existent attack on the PDP state Secretariat.
According to Ebilade Ekerefe, the decision by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike to declare Hon. Fara Dagogo wanted is viewed as using security and the paraphernalia of government at his disposal to intimidate those who are not in his good political books and keep them out of circulation during this period.
“IYC will want to state it categorically clear that Farah Dogogo is a respected leader in Ijaw land who was at the forefront of the liberation movement of the Niger Delta people before the advent of the presidential amnesty program which has brought peace to the region that Governor Wike is enjoying today.
“That Farah Dogogo is a federal lawmaker who has used his position to deepen the peace and stability in the Niger Delta region and therefore his rights and privileges should be respected rather than being treated like a common criminal simply because he has indicated interest to run for the governorship of Rivers state against the wishes of Governor Wike.
“That Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide will not fold its arms and watch any Ijaw man in any part of the world be intimidated and suppressed, not even to Farah Dagogo by the governor of Rivers state.
“That Farah Dagogo should be allowed to submit himself for the governorship screening exercise and should not be harassed by any security agency as he has agreed to honour any invitation by the Commissioner of Police if done properly to enable him to defend whatever allegation levelled against him by the governor of Rivers state.
“That Wike should realize that his becoming governor today is as a result of sacrifices of Ijaw youths in Abonema who resisted injustice, intimidation and oppression by the federal government during his second term elections when others were afraid to confront the federal might, and wonder why others will suffer similar fate simply because he perceived them as his political opponents.
“This is totally unacceptable and we are calling on the security agencies in Rivers state to carry out their duties professionally as any attempt to intimidate Farah Dogogo and any other Ijaw son by the Rivers state government at a time the Ijaw Nation is clamouring for a Riverine governor will be resisted by Ijaw youths”.
