By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
PROMINENT All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Ayirimi Emami, has declared that he would not support any politician he considers to be against the interest of the Itsekiri nation ahead of the 2027 general elections, revealing details of his blunt conversation with Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, over political alignments in Delta South.
Emami also disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acknowledged the Itsekiri position that wrong coordinates were used in the controversial ward and unit delineation exercise in Warri Federal Constituency.
The outspoken Itsekiri leader made the remarks on Saturday, May 9, during the Ologbotsere Day celebration held at his residence in Egbokodo, Warri, where he openly endorsed preferred aspirants for several legislative positions in the state.
According to him, he informed Governor Oborevwori that Hon. Michael Diden remained his preferred aspirant for Delta South Senatorial District, while Hon. Mofe Edema was his choice for Warri South Constituency I and Dr. Andrew Igban for Warri South-West Constituency seat in the Delta State House of Assembly.
Speaking during the gathering, Emami said: “I have told the governor that it’s Ejele (Hon. Michael Diden) senatorial ambition that I stand for, he said he’s neutral in the issue, that means we should go for primary. I warned in the last election that Joel-Onowakpo Thomas was against Itsekiri, now we know better, he has been fighting against Itsekiri.
“The President and governor are carry-go. I have biological ties with Warri South, so no one should tell me that I can’t speak on Warri South Local Government politics. I told Governor Oborevwori that it’s Man of God (Mofe Edema) that is popular on ground in Warri South Constituency 1. Even if I am suspended, it won’t stop me from voting the President, Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and Itsekiris in other political parties, so long as I consider them popular.
“I told the governor that I won’t support Emomotimi Guwor, because he is against Itsekiri. I told the governor that I stand for Andrew Igban. The governor said we should leave Warri North Constituency for Orode Uduaghan, we will respect that. Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan is our brother/ leader and other aspirants in Warri North Constituency, are Itsekiris.
“We want primary in the other legislative seats. No need for Ijaws of Gbaramatu to participate in the APC and other political party primaries, since they claimed there are no existing wards/ units in Warri Federal Constituency. We stand with Thomas Ereyitomi’s return bid.”
Reacting to comments credited to the “Indigenous Ijaw and Urhobo of Warri Federal Constituency” over the disputed delineation carried out by INEC, Emami insisted that the Itsekiri nation was not opposed to delineation, but maintained that the proper legal procedures must be followed.
“Itsekiri is not against ward/ unit delineation, because it’s supposed to be done at – least every 10 years, but the legal instrument must be followed. They won’t see Itsekiri to kill, to deprive us from participating in the elections,” he stated.
He accused some groups of threatening to resist the elections while still taking part in the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise and political consultations ahead of party primaries.
“They vowed to resist the forthcoming elections, if the flawed delineation report is not released, but they participating in Continuous Voter Registration, CVR being conducted by INEC and aspirants from their ethnic nationalities are consulting ahead of primaries of political parties. We weren’t the ones that took the issue to office of the National Security Adviser, NSA.
“We protested the coordinates deployed in the controversial wards/units delineation and the protests were within our rights.
“The wealth of this nation (oil and gas resources) is in Itsekiri land, we are the ones feeding Delta State. INEC, saw our position and agreed that the coordinates used in the controversial delineation, were incorrect.”
Emami further accused opponents of disregarding a Supreme Court judgement concerning the host community of the Nigerian Maritime University.
“They keep talking about Supreme Court judgement, as regards the wards/ units delineation, but they have refused to obey Supreme Court judgement, regarding name of the community, where Nigerian Maritime University is situated. As affirmed by the Supreme Court, the community hosting the Nigerian Maritime University is Okerenghigho, not Okerenkoko as they call it, against the Supreme Court judgement.
“Supreme Court judgment didn’t tell you to take Itsekiri communities and make it yours. All of them talking today from the other side, went to Ogidigben Grammar School, that speaks of our population. Population doesn’t mean the ethnic nationality that owns a community, are the only people living in such community.”
He also alleged attempts to incite the Urhobo people against the Itsekiri in Warri politics.
“You came to Warri to deceive our Urhobo brothers in Okere, to get them to join you in your fight against Itsekiris. Victor Okumagba, became Councillor in Warri South, courtesy of Itsekiri. We are not defending INEC, but we will commend them if they are right and criticise them if they are wrong.
“We, Itsekiris, will defend our homeland. We heard Chief (Dr.) Godspower Gbenekama making derogatory remarks about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the press briefing, despite benefiting so much from the federal government.”
The APC chieftain maintained that the Itsekiri people had no issue with the broader Ijaw ethnic nationality, but specifically with the Gbaramatu Ijaws over alleged threats against the Federal Government, INEC and the Itsekiri people.
“Itsekiri is not against the Ijaw Nation, our issue is with the Gbaramatu Ijaws, threatening the federal government, INEC and us. Giving you pipeline surveillance contract, should not give you the impetus to hold Nigeria hostage. No wonder, there have been calls for the pipeline surveillance contract to be decentralised.
“The three tribes (Itsekiri, Ijaw and Urhobo) had signed undertaking for peace in Warri Federal Constituency, so anyone threatening the peace accord, should be called to question by the security agencies. Gbenekama had the effrontery to address the President as President Emilokon.
“Other Ijaws are with the President, except the Gbaramatu Ijaws. We have known that from time, yet they have been the greatest beneficiaries of this president, Itsekiri is prepared for the forthcoming elections.”
Speaking further, Emami disclosed that a court had ruled that Ologbotsere founded Bobi Community.
“I will always stand by the truth, which the living and transited elders of Itsekiri Nation told me,” he declared.
“The Ijaws took Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC to court, saying our communities are not in the buffer zone. The affected communities and I, decided to join the suit, but court declined our request. We are going to appeal the court decision, nobody will take our land.”
Also speaking on the sidelines of the celebration, the Olorogun of Warri Kingdom, Chief Michael Odeli, condemned remarks allegedly made against President Bola Tinubu by Chief Godspower Gbenekama.
“It is very sad to see the Ijaws of Gbaramatu biting the finger that fed them,” Odeli said.
“The Ijaws of Gbaramatu, have been bitter so much and it beats my imagination how they come out in the public, to use languages that are so insulting to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I want to say with all due respect that the young man Chief (Dr.) Godspower Gbenekama should be called to order, for calling the President ‘President Emilokun’ it is an insult to the whole nation.”
Public Relations Officer of the Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC, Hon. Tuoyo Ebigbeyi, also declared support for the aspirants endorsed by Emami.
“As a nation, we have decided to endorse those that are square peg, that would be put in square hole,” he said.
Ebigbeyi added that the council remained solidly behind the aspirants being canvassed by Emami ahead of the 2027 elections.
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