Wike-Fubara crisis was PDP affair, not Ijaw struggle — Ex-IYC president
August 9, 2026 5:55 pm
A former President of the Ijaw Youths Council Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri.
By Dennis Naku
Former President of the Ijaw Youths Council Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, has said the political crisis between former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, was an internal affair of the Peoples Democratic Party and had nothing to do with the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
Eradiri said he had been vindicated over his earlier position on the crisis, recalling that several Ijaw leaders attacked him because they believed the dispute offered them an opportunity to advance their political interests.
Speaking on the resolution of the crisis and the political future of the Ijaw people in Rivers State, the former IYC president commended Fubara for returning to his political family but warned that the crisis had created divisions and animosity that would take time to repair.
He argued that attempts by politicians to ethnicise the dispute had damaged relationships between the Ijaw and other ethnic groups in the state.
Eradiri said, “I appreciate Governor Fubara for going back to his political family. We warned, but they did not listen, and a lot of things happened that will be difficult to reverse.
“Some people wanted to score political points by trying to ethnicise the political crisis. The Rivers State crisis was a PDP crisis. It had nothing to do with ethnicity.”
He also rejected the argument that Fubara’s emergence as governor was a collective decision of the Ijaw people, saying Wike did not consult the ethnic group before selecting his successor.
“When Wike wanted to choose Sir Siminalayi Fubara as the governor, he did not call Ijaw people for a meeting. If he had called a meeting of the Ijaw ethnic nationality and announced his decision to make an Ijaw governor, I am sure Fubara would not have been the Ijaw choice. Ijaw people would have gathered to make a collective choice. Nobody knew Fubara in the political arena,” he said.
Eradiri attributed part of the crisis to what he described as Fubara’s limited political experience before becoming governor, warning that political office without adequate preparation could create serious challenges.
“Once you are not schooled politically and suddenly they give you a political office, it is usually difficult because you will use your first office to start learning how to play politics. If you allow ego to enter, you won’t learn, but you will create more problems. That is what has happened in Rivers State,” he said.
The former IYC president also rejected the portrayal of Wike as an enemy of the Ijaw, recalling the former governor’s support for the ethnic group after the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“When President Goodluck Jonathan left power and there was heat, Wike was the one who stood solidly behind and supported the Ijaw people. And all of a sudden the same man was tagged an enemy of Ijaw people. I said no. When you look at some of the benefits the Ijaw has had in this administration, all the appointees in Abuja came through Wike, and all of a sudden Wike has become an enemy of the Ijaw. How”, he stated.
Eradiri, however, said the Ijaw should critically examine the political consequences of the crisis, particularly for those who became exposed to political risks because of their support for Fubara.
“As at the time the governor was going back to his political family, he forgot the entire Ijaw people that were creating enemies because of him. How many Ijaw people in the struggle did Fubara appoint”, he queried.
He further faulted Fubara for allowing the disagreement with Wike to escalate, noting that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory had played a significant role in Fubara’s political journey.
“Fubara should be faulted because Wike picked him from the NYSC level till where he is today. So, nobody should know Wike more than Fubara. For him to have started striking within one year of assuming office, it means he was playing with fire,” he said.
On the political future of the Ijaw in Rivers State, Eradiri said the ethnic group still had a legitimate opportunity to seek the governorship but would need strategic alliances with other ethnic nationalities to achieve the ambition.
“We have not settled the divide between the Ijaw and the power brokers in Rivers. We have created more divide. We have created hate and animosity. Let us not forget that the Ijaw people in Rivers State have not led Rivers. Ijaw people still have an opportunity to present their candidate,” he said.
He challenged Ijaw leaders who believe the group has the political strength to produce a governor to demonstrate it by sponsoring and supporting a candidate.
Eradiri stressed that no ethnic group could win the Rivers governorship election alone, saying political victory required broad-based alliances.
“Where are those Ijaw leaders that abused me? Why don’t they gather and sponsor a candidate in one of the political parties in Rivers since they think we have all the powers to make governor in Rivers? To make a governor in Rivers, you need all the ethnic nationalities to support you. We cannot stand alone and produce a governor in Rivers State. We need to build back those alliances,” he said.
Eradiri added, “We must resolve the tension between us and other ethnic nationalities. They should stop looking at Ijaw as intimidators. They think we feel we can intimidate our way into leadership. But it is not correct. Only a few persons created that idea.”
Ahead of the 2027 elections, he urged the Ijaw to consider working with the Rainbow Coalition or collapsing their political structures to support an Ijaw candidate on another platform.
He also welcomed the emergence of Major Jack as the coalition’s Ijaw running mate, urging the Ijaw people to rally around him and use the opportunity to rebuild their political influence.
Dennis Naku is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with approximately 19 years of professional experience. He has previously worked with Champion Newspapers and National Mirror Newspaper, reporting across multiple beats. His work reflects extensive newsroom experience and a commitment to professional journalism practice.
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