2023: Group threatens mass action against Bozimo, Okaba over moves to adopt Oborevwori as Ijaw sole candidate

•It is Ijaw PDP leaders decision, not INC -Izonebi

A self-styled group, the Ijaw Movement For Good Governance, IMGG, has knocked Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, former minister of police affairs and Ijaw National Congress president, Prof. Benjamin Okaba over alleged moves to unveil the Delta State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as sole Ijaw guber candidate in the state for the next year’s general elections.

But the publicity secretary of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, Mr Oyakemeagbegha Izonebi said the decision was not an INC decision but was taken by PDP leaders in Delta State, stating that INC was only invited to the meeting to encourage Ijaw PDP members not to sit on the fence even if Ijaw governorship dream does not materialised.

According to Izonebi, the decision was reported out of context, there was no decision to unveil Oborevwori as Ijaw sole candidate but to be unveiled as Ijaw PDP members sole candidate, adding that Alaowei Bozimo being a PDP leader had right to make decision for members of the party.

Meanwhile, the self-styled group described Bozimo, Okaba, and others’ actions as shameful, mischievous, treacherous, inimical, and strange in a democratic society.

The group’s spokesman, Comrade Bulouebi David in a statement on Monday said Alaowei Broderick Bozimo and his cohorts cannot arrogate to themselves the power to trade with ‘Ijaw Name’ as they vowed to protest against their (Delta Ijaw leaders) moves to betray the Ijaw nation.

Reacting to a newspaper report on Monday titled: “2023: Delta Ijaws to Unveil Oborevwori As Sole Candidate,” in a meeting held at the residence of Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, former Minister of Police Affairs, on Saturday, said the Bozimo group was fighting for personal interest, stating that such position never represents the collective yearnings of the Ijaw nation.

The statement accused the INC president Okaba of failing the Ijaw nation, adding that he is no longer fit to lead the Ijaw nation since he had decided to identify himself with a particular political party to trade with Ijaw nation.

The statement further noted that the Ijaw nation belongs to different political parties and that Okaba being a member of PDP had lost a sense of good judgment to administer justice to Ijaw people of various political backgrounds, stressing he should shamefully resign from his position as INC president.

The group contended that Ijaws as free citizens have the right to belong to different political parties and vote for candidates of their choice and should not be cowed to political slavery, subjugation, oppression, harassment and intimidation.

The statement reads, “Ijaw people should not allow themselves to be fooled, Bozimo should unveil Sheriff Oborevwori as his adopted guber candidate, not of the Ijaw nation.

“Ijaw youths will match against Bozimo and Prof. Okaba, President of Ijaw National Congress should the group adopt the PDP candidate, Oborevwori as the sole Ijaw candidate.”

In further reaction, INC publicity secretary said INC understand the fact that Ijaw nation belongs to different political parties and there was no any move to impose any governorship candidate of any political party on entire Delta Ijaw people.

He further clarified that every Ijaw man had the right to support any political party or candidate of his or her choice. INC noted: “Again, Ijaw PDP members also have the right to make decision that will bind themselves. If they want to unveil Oborevwori as their candidate, it is a complete PDP affairs, and it has nothing to do with the Ijaws in other political parties”.

Izonebi emphasized that INC is not into any partician politics but being the fact that every individual is a political animal according to Karl Marx, INC can encourage Ijaws in various political parties to remain focus.