The Niger Delta youths, stormed Abuja in a large number on Thursday, to warn the Speaker of the House of Representatives to forget the thought of investigating the duo of Asari Dokubo and Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, over their claims that there would be no peace in Nigeria if President Jonathan is voted out in 2015.
And, to ensure that Tambuwal does not take further steps toward punishing the two vociferous Niger Delta activists, the youths under the aegis of South-South Restoration Forum, asked President Jonathan and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party to call the Speaker to order so as not to provoke their anger.
The leader of the SSRF, Mr. Selekaye Ben, told newsmen that Tambuwal was bias against the people of the South-South judging by his disposition to issues involving the region.
Ben, who was accompanied by the national secretary of SSRF, Mr. Ofana Paul Santon and others, queried the speaker for daring to invite and investigate Dokubo and Kuku over their inflammatory statements without seeing anything wrong with similar provocative statements by leading northern political actors and commentators.
Recalling several newspaper reports by prominent northerners, such as Gen Muhammadu Buhari, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, Lawal Kaita, Bello Kirfi and Abu Shalluwa, all threatening to cause trouble if Jonathan attempted to seek re-election in 2015, the SSRF wondered why Tambuwal had not deemed it necessary to question them or raise a motion to invite them for sanctions.
Ben warned that if the House of Representatives moves against the two Ijaw men, youths in the region would march into the premises with them so as to make it impossible for them to operate.
Ben pointed out that they would no longer take it kindly with any individual or groups of persons who continue to suppress or intimidate the people of the South-South, who he said, have been paying the supreme price of keeping the nation running with their oil resources over the years.
Ben said, “We call on the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the national leadership of the PDP and the President of the Senate to call the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and his team to put an end to any form of intimidation of the people of the South-South zone of Nigeria on National issues.
“Every Nigerian irrespective of tribe, language, region or religion has equal right to freedom of expression as enshrined in our constitution, and no individual or group has the sole right to intimidate another group or region under the guise of carrying out his functions.
“Who told Tambuwal and his gang that one ethnic group or people are superior to others? How come Tambuwal and Ali Sani Madaki never called for investigation or arrest of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida when he publicly called on Tambuwal to seek for a higher office in 2015 when he knew that there was no vacancy in the Aso Villa?
Äre all these and many more statements that have been publicly made by people from the north not provocative enough for Tambuwal and his cohorts to call for their arrest and investigation?
“We, the people of the South-South know Tambuwal’s game plan and who he is working for but they should know that we as a people cannot be intimidated by anybody or group in this country,” SSRF boasted.
Meanwhile, the Arewa Youth Forum, AYF, yesterday called for the sack of Asari Dokubo from the National Hajj Commission, over his inciting comments over the re-election of President Jonathan in 2015.
The President of AYF, Alhaji Gambo Gujungu, who made the call in a statement made available to Vanguard, insisted that Dokubo has lost his moral right to continue to serve on the board.
Sack Dokubo from hajj Commission — AYF
Gujungu noted,” The AYF believes that following the threat issued by Asari Dokubo to declare war on other Nigerians if they fail to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 elections, the President should show Nigerians that he has nothing to do with the former militant leader by sacking him from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria.
“As youths from the North we believe that the Hajj Commission should be peopled by persons of integrity that other Nigerians can look up to and people like Asari who are declaring violence on other citizens should not be seen in the commission.
AYF said they would formally write the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to make sure that Asari does not enter Saudi Arabia again. He should be treated like an outcast for declaring war against his own people.
Arrest me and Nigeria ‘ll be history—Dokubo
In a related development, Dokubo-Asari has dared the House of Representatives and security agencies to arrest him if they can muster the courage to do so following calls for his arrests over his comment, Monday, that peace will elude Nigeria if President Goodluck Jonathan was not returned in 2015
Asari, also said that any attempt to arrest him will mark the end of Nigeria and called the authorities coward if eventually the threat of his arrest was not effected.
Speaking at a briefing in Abuja, yesterday, Asari said he stood by his words that there will be no peace in the country if Jonathan was not re-elected for a second term in office in 2015.
His words: “I stand by my statement which I made in my earlier press conference, there will be no peace, not only in the Niger Delta, but everywhere, if Goodluck Jonathan is not President by 2015.
He recalled that the House of Representatives did not call for the arrest of a Northern chieftain, Alhaji Lawal Kaita and former Head of State, General Mohammed Buhari, for making similar comments in the past.
Wondering why his own comments were being viewed as outrageous, Asari bemoaned the fact that the two northern elites were today walking the streets freemen.
Ezeife, Okorie differ
Meanwhile, two elder statesmen, former governor of old Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and National Chairman of United Peoples Party, UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie have differed in their reactions to Asari’s comment.
While, Ezeife said the comment was based on accumulation of tension and frustration, describing the call for Asari’s arrest as unnecessary; Okorie said it was irresponsible, stressing that it might not help President Jonathan in any way toward getting a second term in ffice.
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