By Jimitota Onoyume
RIVERS Ijaw Elders and Leaders Forum, an umbrella body of Ijaw elders in Rivers State, has described as misleading, a recent report in some national dailies, which alleged that the Ijaw nation was divided over President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency beyond this year.

Prof. Abiye Obuoforibo, who addressed the media, weekend, in Port Harcourt, said Chief Pere Ajuwa, an Ijaw politician, who  hosted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar when he visited Rivers State recently, had no authority to endorse the presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the Ijaw nation.

The body said, “we hereby categorically state that Pere Ajuwa does not have any authority or mandate to speak or make such claims on behalf of the Ijaw people anywhere in Nigeria or elsewhere. The Ijaw ethnic nationality has its accredited leaders and spokespersons, who are well known in the country.”

Continuing, the body listed the president of Ijaw National Congress, INC, Dr. Atuboyedia Obianime, and Prof Obuoforibo as among those empowered by the Ijaw nation to speak for Ijaw people. In addition, it said it was not contesting the right of Ajuwa to speak for himself and his clique but he lacked the power to speak for the entire Ijaw nation.

The body also said it was sad that Atiku could tell the region when he visited Rivers State, recently that he wondered how President Jonathan could emerge the PDP’s standard bearer with the North producing 61 percent of the delegates against the 39 that would come from the South.  Describing the statement as sheer disrespect to the Ijaw nation and the entire South, the body said those with such understanding of the dynamics of power in the country should come to terms with the fact that Jonathan’s presidency is a defining moment in the nation’s political history.