[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has described his Bayelsa state counterpart, Mr. Sariake Dickson as a failure. This was contained in a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu,
Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media on Monday.

Governor Wike described the allegations made against him by his Bayelsa counterpart as the baseless ranting of a frustrated politician who is yet to come to terms with his losses.

“Contrary to the allegation by the Outgoing Bayelsa State Governor, there is no local Government Area in Rivers State where we don’t have projects. Let him mention the projects he has in the eight local Government Areas of Bayelsa State. Dickson cannot in all ramifications compare himself to me in terms of development.”

Governor Wike said while Rivers State is a major construction site, the Bayelsa State Governor has failed his people by refusing to utilise their resources judiciously.

He said that for a small state like Bayelsa, it was wrong for the outgoing Governor to expend N70billion on an uncompleted airport, when Bayelsa State lacks good roads and Basic Infrastructure.

Governor Wike declared that the Soku Oil Wells belong to the Government and People of Rivers State as the Federal High Court affirmed and based on the admission by the National Boundary Commission that it erroneously shifted the boundary between Rivers and Bayelsa States from River Santa Barbara to River Saint Batholomew in the 11th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria.

“In 2002, the NBC altered the boundary in the 11th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria. They made a mistake by shifting the boundary from River Santa Barbara to River St Batholomew. At the Supreme Court, the NBC wrote a letter a admitting their error.

“The Supreme Court made an order for the NBC to correct the error of the 11th Edition in the 12th Edition,” he said.

Governor Wike said seven years after the Supreme Court gave the order, the NBC was yet to effect the correction. He said that preliminary report on the 12th Edition, indicated that the NBC made no attempt to obey the order of the Supreme Court.

“We had to sue the NBC to enforce the order of the Supreme Court, where they were directed to ensure that the Boundary Between Rivers and Bayelsa State is River Santa Barbara.

“Judgment has been given. The best the Bayelsa State Governor can do is to go on appeal.

“You cannot cannot heap your frustration on us. We have nobody to carry guns, so the best place to go is the court.”

Governor Wike stated that he was elected by Rivers people to protect their interest. He said there is nothing personal in the fight for Soku Oil Wells.

“I am protecting what belongs to Rivers State Ijaw. I am protecting what what belongs to Rivers State.

“The Outgoing Bayelsa State Governor is the one trying to cause disharmony by attempting to collect what belongs to the Ijaw in Rivers State.

He regretted that the outgoing Bayelsa State Governor refused to respect the rules of Protocol, when he visited the Amanyanabo of Kalabari without informing the Rivers State Government.

“The person talking about invading Rivers State in January 2020 lacks respect for Protocol. If he was well schooled, would he use that phrase that he wants to invade Rivers State?

“You have no respect. A Traditional Ruler who is a First Class ruler, recognised by Government and you say you are coming to a state as a Governor to see Rivers Ijaw people without observing Basic Protocol. Protocol demands you call your colleague that you are coming to the State. Even then, the Traditional Ruler failed to communicate with the State Government. And I said, if you do this next time, I will withdraw the Recognition. I didn’t say I will dethrone him. I don’t make Chiefs. But I have the power to recognise or take back recognition, If you run foul of the law. I have no regrets about it. Anyone who runs foul of the law, I will withdraw the Recognition and heaven will not fall. I never said that I will dethrone the Amanyanabo of Kalabari. I said that I will withdraw the Recognition by the Rivers State Government if he continues to disrespect the office of the Governor and not play according to the rules. How can Dickson invade Rivers State when he cannot defend Bayelsa State ?”

Governor Wike said there is no oil wars between Rivers State and Imo or Akwa Ibom States as claimed by the outgoing Bayelsa State Governor. He said that he went to Court against Imo State to challenge the attempt to take what belongs to Rivers State.

He added that he went to court against Akwa Ibom State because of illegal deductions of funds from Rivers State by the agencies of the Federal Government. He said he still enjoys a good working relationship with the Governors of Imo and Akwa Ibom States.

Wike said that through the poor leadership of the Bayelsa State Governor, the PDP Governors Forum and the PDP South-South Governors Forum, failed.

Governor Wike berated Dickson for claiming that he was interfering in Bayelsa State Politics. He said that before Dickson became Governor, it was Secondus and King Turner that brought him (Dickson) to receive his (Governor Wike’s ) Support.

He said that the outgoing Bayelsa State Governor was never committed to the PDP all through the elections.

He said: “We are the only State in the South-South that President Muhammadu Buhari never got 25percent. Buhari got 45 percent in Bayelsa State. So who colluded with who? It is now that Dickson has realised that they played him? All those nocturnal promises were not kept. I challenge Dickson to ask his Candidate, Senator Douye Diri the contributions I made. Is it because I didn’t pass it through him?

“Dickson planned for PDP to fail elections and he is now crying Federal Might. He assumed the role of God. Nobody could tell him anything. During his second term election, people resisted the Army. But this time, they left him alone.

“You cannot accord Former President Goodluck Jonathan respect. Simply because Rivers State honoured Jonathan, Dickson became angry.”

He added: “Dickson concluded plans to join the APC. Timipre Silva and Heineken Lokpobiri blocked him. He knew I have strength, he would have consulted me.

“Dickson colluded with these people, so that EFCC will not arrest him when he leaves Government. If you like, carry any level of propaganda, I will protect the interest of Rivers State. “

Governor Wike said he is a good representative of Rivers State as he uses their mandate effectively to develop the State. He said in four and half years, he has achieved more for Rivers State than Dickson did for Bayelsa State in about 8 years.

“I have represented Rivers people very well. I have made Rivers people proud. Rivers State is multi-ethnic and I have ensured all ethnic groups get the dividends of democracy.

“Part of the Representation of Rivers State is to protect what belongs to Rivers State. Rivers people know that I have represented them very well”, he said.

It will be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ruled that Rivers State owns the disputed Soku Oil Wells/Fields located in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

In a judgment in Suit Number FHC/ABJ/CS/984/19, the Attorney-General of Rivers State versus National Boundary Commission, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court declared that after examining all the documents from relevant Government agencies and facts before the court, the Soku Oil Wells/fields belong to Rivers State.

The Federal High Court made an order compelling the National Boundary Commission to rectify forthwith in the 12th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria the erroneous interstate boundary between Rivers State and Bayelsa State as contained in the extant 11th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria.

The tussle for the rightful occupant of Odogwu Ibusa left behind by the late odogwu about three years ago, is drumming up worrisome beat for the Otu Odogwo family and the Obuzor of Ibusa.

The High Chief,Onowu Micheal Emeshie, the Diokpa of Otu Odogwu in Ibusa,Delta State has again emphasised the need for peace in the lingering Odogwu title thrown tussle, that is tearing brothers apart in Ibusa, Delta State,He spoke to Tony Okwunebe of Grassroots Publishers online, chronicling the genesis of the tussle and other issues concerning the chalking of the new Odogwu. …Excerpt.

Recently, there was a squabble over a traditional stool of Odogwu title in Ibusa, what actually is the bone of contention after you have chalked Chief Charles Okonkwo?

I have acted as Ibusa custom and tradition demands. The person that the entire Otu Odogwu nominated for the position of Odogwu of Ibuzor is Chief Charles Okonkwo ,I have chalked him as the diokpa of Otu Odogwu. He was selected by his quarter and nominated by the entire Otu Odogwu and as the traditional Diokpa, i have perfected my duty by chalking him as custom demands. As it stands now Ibusa have gotten  Odogwu in the person of Charles Okonkwo. Ibusa people know already that they have an Odogwu from my endorsement traditionally. They already know because I endorsed him publicly. From the day I endorsed him, he has automatically becomes the Odogwu of Ibusa.

The Odogwu title is it by age, appointment, heredity or elective? 

It’s never hereditary. It’s not by appointment, age or otherwise. The community (Otu – Odogwu knows where, how and when to choose the Odogwu. It is not  hereditary.  The Otu- Odogwu decides who they want to select, not the Obuzor. The Obuzor has no traditional right in appointing who becomes the Odogwu of Ibusa. It is  only the Otu- Odogwu that has spiritual and traditional  right  to select and endorse  the next Odogwu of Ibusa.  It is after we have selected and chalked the person  that we can now present the person to the most  senior diokpa of Ibusa and obuzor.  That is how it’s done.

We learnt that the Obuzor of Ibusa wrote a letter to Otu-Odogwu rejecting the endorsement of Charles Okonkwo as the Odogwu of Ibusa. Between you the Diokpa of Otu-Odogwu and the Obuzor of Ibusa, who has the right to endorse the Odogwu of Ibusa?

Obuzor is the King of Ibusa, he is my son, he belongs to Otu-Odogwu, Umueze as well as Mgboko community. The Mgboko  is where Otu-Odogwu emanates and it is this same Mgboko community that brought out Charles Okonkwo to be the next Odogwu of Ibusa. It is only the Diokpa of Otu-Odogwu that has the traditional power  to endorse and chalk  the person for the title of Odogwu of Ibusa. After  nomination  at the village level, like they did now, it is the Diokpa of Otu-Odogwu that will endorse the person with the traditional native chalk.  Its about three years now when the last Odogwu of Ibusa died. They were trying to play the politics by imposing people who lives in abroad as our Odogwu. I then told them that their decision was wrong. That somebody who stays 10,000 miles away from the community can’t be the Odogwu of Ibusa. The person that must be the next Odogwu of Ibusa must be resident in Ibusa. The reason is when there is an external attack from neighboring communities for instance, to the extent of turning into war, do we need to phone the Odogwu who  is outside the country to come to our rescue?  It is not done. Odogwu must be resident here. That was what I told the Mgboko Community  of which the Obuzor himself is from Mgboko  that selected Charles Okonkwo for the title.

Diokpa,recently Obuzor wrote you another letter rejecting the person Otu Odogwu nominated for the Odogwu title, what is your stand on this issue?

The Obuzor of Ibusa , Obi(Prof.) Louis Nwoboshi cannot select nor nominate our Odogwu for us , he has no traditional  right to do so , we nominated Charles Ositadinma  Okonkwo,(Akulua Unor of Ib’uzor)as our next Odogwu of Ibusa and I have already chalked him and no other living person can be chalked again by me. I am happy that in his letter dated 5^th of Dec.2019 with reference number OBZ/ABU/6.10/019/002 he said  “we  do not contest your custody of Odogwu title but the Prescribed Authority is vested with the responsibility of conferring the title to a worthy son of Otu Odogwu”. I wish to state here that we followed the stipulated guidelines to ensure the best candidate emerges, we picked Chief Charles Okonkwo as the most qualified person because he met all the requirements for the position and this same Chief Charles Okonkwo was conferred with Chieftaincy title as the (Akulua Unor of Ib’uzor) in 2008 by the Obuzor of Ibusa  (Eleven years ago because he is a worthy son of Ibusa).so he cannot reject our candidate because he is the most qualified person for the position.

Now that you have endorsed Charles Okonkwo as the Odogwu of Ibuzor,is there anybody that will change that decision?

Nobody can change that decision or endorsement again because I am the Diokpa of Otu-Odogwu. Except if there is another Diokpa of Otu-Odogwu like me, that is when the person would have the power to endorse or change my decision. I am not struggling the Diokpa of  Umueze, the Diokpa of Otu- Odogwu  with anybody ,  the entire Umueze community in their meeting of 28^th October 2019  nominated Charles Okonkwo  for the Odogwu  title and Obuzor of Ibuzor is a member of this Umueze community in respect of the fact that he does not attend Umueze meetings, our decisions are bidding on him so also are the decisions of Otu Odogwu  Community. Which one are we going to argue who has right or who do not have the right? The right is mine spiritually and traditionally. Unless Obuzor is trying to usurp my traditional powers because he is the king, but in Ibusa traditional “OKPALA KA EZE”. Was he not chalked and crown by the Diokpa of Ibusa for him to be crown the Obuzor of Ibusa? Did Obuzor crown himself King alone? I don’t like things like these.

Diokpa, what is your advice to Otu-Odogwu and the new Odogwu -Elect Chief Charles Okonkwo that you have endorsed?

Chief Charles Okonkwo is the only person I have endorsed and chalked for the title of Odogwu Ibuzor no other person. Any other person coming as Odogwu is looking for problem in Ibuzor. It is the Diokpa Otu-Odogwu that has the full right to endorse him as the Odogwu of Ibuzor. And as it stands today, Chief Charles Okonkwo is the Odogwu of Ibuzor elect , he should go ahead and meet Ikwele of Ibusa to start the processes of IKWA Agana (Ikpu Ogbu).

Thank you.

Attached below are letters from Diokpa otu Odogwu and Obuzor: