No Supreme Court Refers Okerenkoko As Okerenghigho, Ozobo, Ezekiel Tell Tinubu, NASS

•Say delay in assent to NMU bill will be considered as conspiracy, injustice against Ijaw Nation


By Peters Monday, Abuja

Niger Delta Renowned rights activists, Comrade Ozobo Austin and Comrade Daniel Ezekiel have warned Itsekiris not to incite another round of deadly and bloody Warri crisis in Delta state, adding that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the country’s national assembly should take note that there was no supreme court judgement referring Okerenkoko as Okerenghigho in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The justice advocates maintained that Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko is established to benefit every citizen of the country, stressing that the passage and assent to the bill should be celebrated and applauded by every well-meaning stakeholders in Itsekiri nation and beyond.

They further emphasised that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should know that no individual had the monopoly to stop the assent of the NMU establishment bill as it would negatively affect citizens who are schooling there nationwide.

The renowned activists said it would amount to injustice and conspiracy against the Ijaw people, Niger Delta and citizens of Nigeria schooling in Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko for any delay by President Tinubu to assent to the NMU establishment bill.

Stating further, the duo posited that such conspiracy would not only give mistrust but would make many lose confidence in his ability to administer the country.

This is according to a joint statement signed by the duo which a copy of it was sent to Congress correspondent on Friday.

While berating the inimical petition, Ozobo and Ezekiel called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the general public to ignore it to avoid inciting avoidable provocation in Delta state.

The statement described the petition as unfounded, mischievous, libellous, nefarious, lackadaisical, provocative, vexatious and could incite a deadly crisis in Warri and its environs.

The rights Chiefs said the move is a conspiracy by the entire Itsekiri nation to grab and steal Okerenkoko lands, noting that Ijaws of Delta State would resist such an attempt with their last blood.

The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to unfounded, mischievous, libellous, nefarious, lackadaisical, provocative, vexatious and inciting petition written under the guise of Omadino Itsekiris in Warri South West Local Government Area claiming ownership of Okerenkoko ancestry land.

“It is worthy of note that Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko is established to benefit every citizen of the country, and the passage and assent to the bill should be celebrated and applauded by every well-meaning stakeholder in Itsekiri nation and beyond. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should know that no individual has the monopoly to stop the assent of the bill as it will negatively affect citizens who are schooling there nationwide.

“It will be viewed as a conspiracy against Ijaw people, Niger Delta and students of Nigeria schooling in Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko for any delay by the President Tinubu to assent to NMU establishment bill and such conspiracy will not only give mistrust but will make many to lose confidence about his ability to administer the country.

“The claim that the supreme court ceded Okerenkoko land to Omadino Itsekiri and refers to it as Okerenghigho is fallacious and Tinubu must resist this temptation.

“We have read the said fallacious and malicious supreme court judgement referred by the land grabbers and crisis mockers. We find out that there was no place in the judgement that referred to Okerenkoko as Okerenghigho. The purported judgement is between Omadino Itsekiris and has nothing to do with the Ijaw people in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

“We want to state unequivocally that the Omadino Itsekcallscall on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to turn down the assent of the Bill of the establishment of Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko could incite deadly war in Niger Delta.

“It is crystal clear to note that this petition and publication were meant to mislead the public and the president of the federal government to unlawfully claim Okerenkoko land and to stop the assent of the NMU establishment Bill.

“Also the call to incite President Tinubu to intensify a non-existing investigation on land sales is another attempt to murder sleep in Delta state. This is an insult to the Ijaws of Delta State and must be resisted. We advise Tinubu to avoid any form of bias, resist the temptation of tribal politics and sentiments and quickly assent to the NMU establishment bill”, they stated.