A militant group, Ijaw Freedom Fighters (IFF), and a non-governmental organisation, Ijaw People’s Development Initiatives (IPDI), yesterday, warned Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), to steer clear of Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Several civil rights groups have scheduled a rally for that day in the city to protest against what they see as repeated assaults on democracy in the state by some people.

IFF and IPDI said they cannot guarantee the safety of Soyinka, Falana and other non Niger Deltans if they decide to participate in the protest.

The two groups described the position of the civil rights groups on the Rivers crisis as vexatious.

IFF leader, Sese Gideon, said his group “will not allow non-Niger Deltans to add insult in a matter that can be settled without bloodshed.”

Gideon, in a statement, entitled ‘We will not take your coming to Rivers kindly’ said: “We are a group of youths along the creeks, waterways and uplands of the states in the Niger Delta region. We are committed to the protection of rights, privileges and freedom of the Niger Delta people.

“We met and observed with interest the continued frivolous and vexatious statements credited to perceived egg heads and civil activists like Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana and many others on the current crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“While we blame the political class in Rivers and Abuja for allowing such comments due to their indiscretion and show of shame, we will not allow non-Niger Deltans to add insult in a matter that can be settled without bloodshed. We have listened to the name-calling and tongue-lashing of the President and his wife by the civil society but what we will not take kindly to is the invasion being planned by the non-Niger Deltans in Rivers State.

“If the people of Rivers want to protest, they should protest and demand for what is right. But when it is shown, as clearly displayed, that it is targeted to ridicule and further discredit the South-South and its quest for Presidency in 2015, we cannot guarantee anyone’s safety again. We are not interested in who impeached whom but we will not fold our hands and allow the sponsored onslaught in the Niger Delta under the guise of civil society gathering.

“We cannot guarantee the safety of anyone interested and plotting to throw Rivers or any other Niger Delta States into turmoil”.

The IPDI leader, Austin Ozobo, called the planned protest “ill timed” and “ridiculous”.

He said his group has met with over 50 civil society groups in Warri, Delta State and appealed to the people Rivers State to shun the protest to avert further bloodshed.

“We urge the police and other security agencies in the state to endeavour to put off the protest to avoid rival group clash and stop planned further cause of disaffection in the state.

“The crisis in Rivers State is a minor issue that does not need external solution as warring leaders could resolve their differences if they mean well for Rivers.”

They warn external forces interference as such will add fire to the situation at hand. We are a body of civil activists in the six states of the Niger Delta and were never part of any planned protest in Rivers State.”

Professor Soyinka and Mr. Falana had condemned the Presidency, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, the state Police Command and the five anti-Amaechi members of the State Assembly for their roles in fuelling the crisis in the state.

king of pool: wole nd falani re takin this to the level we cant understand again,dia is a peace talk goin on nd they want to put more fuel on this minor fire that is burnin.....wole is degradin himsef, morons nw call him names e.g,..mop,tobd etc.

FSU: They should deport Wole and Falana whenever they step into River State. After all deportation of fellow Nigerians is the craze now.

FSU: They should deport Wole and Falana whenever they step into River State. After all deportation of fellow Nigerians is the craze now.

fiscalcliff: Hmmn!
So Ijaw criminals or is it militants i.e. hired thugs are now the mouthpiece of a sitting President
When Soyinka was marching on the streets for Ebele's elevation to President after Yaradua's demise as was Falana demanding same,where were they
Now he is their 'son' who can do no wrong
Wole who was imprisoned for speaking out for the Igbo's during Biafra is now suddenly a noisemaker
Jonathan's ambition will ruin this nation
If he was performing, 1 would even understand why he's seeking to return
Truly Achebe was right because they truly was a country

Ola Johnson: The so-called militants are paid thugs. How many of you have heard the names of these two groups before? Those behind the crisis, whom are known, keep disgracing themselves. I know Wole Soyinka and Femi Falana will still come to Port-Harcourt, if they have plans to. These are two fearless men that could risk their lives for a better society. Wole Soyinka has been doing it for a long time. He challenged military regimes in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. Even civilian governments. I remember how he was moving round polling booths (some said with a gun) in Ile-Ife and Modakeke during the 1979 and 1983 elections to ensure there was no rigging. This was when he was lecturing in the University of Ife (now OAU).
As the PRO of Student Union, University of Ife, 1979/80 session, Femi Falana and the President, Wole Olaoye, were thorns on the flesh of General Olusegun Obasanjo during his transition programme to civil rule. And even to the government of Shehu Shagari. They were always going to Dodan Barracks, Lagos from Ile-Ife to protest.

FSU: They should deport Wole and Falana whenever they step into River State. After all deportation of fellow Nigerians is the craze now.

Rivers Crisis: Agbakoba, Falana, CSOs To Address Rally In Support Of Democracy In Port Harcourt



Prominent rights activists and lawyers, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), and Femi Falana (SAN) will on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 address a one-day global action rally aimed at attracting the attention of the international community to the anti-democratic forces that have hijacked Rivers State and other excesses of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Other prominent personalities drawn from various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) expected to address the rally which will hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, include, Emma Ezeazu of Alliance for Democracy (AD); Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Festus Okoye of the Human Rights Monitor, Kaduna; Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin of the Campaign for Democracy (CD); and Innocent Chukwuma of CLEEN Foundation, among others.
Disclosing this to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Thursday, chairman of the Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition (NDCSC), Mr. Anyakwee Nsirimovu, said the peaceful rally will also draw the attention of the authorities on the need to redeploy Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu as the commissioner of Police in the state.

“We will embark on a One Day of Global Action in defence of democracy in Rivers state. It is a day of action against impunity and tolerance of the same by a political party that has been unable to organize itself and govern most responsibly in the last 14 years of the transition. It is a day of action for a wake-up call for all Rivers citizens to wake up to their responsibilities of taking their rights and freedoms seriously, by raising their voices for peace, respect for democratic principles of dialogue, persuasion, rather than gangsterism as acceptable means,” Nsirimovu said.

“It is a day of action against politically instigated violence against the people. It is a day of action against a Political Police Commissioner who must leave, so that the state may be secured. It is a Civil Society Super Tuesday of action for the deepening of democracy in Rivers state, Niger Delta region and Nigeria.”
He stated that the coalition’s decision to stage a peaceful rally was hinged on the need to serve a notice of warning to all enemies of democracy and human freedom in the country, which he maintained the human rights community would not sit back and allow to be sacrificed on the altar of inordinate ambition of politicians.

Willy+willy:
i don't know why Wole want to die,

Ola Johnson:
Nobody would want to touch him, he has a great charisma.

Codedrock: To be Candid, that soyinka guy they fuc*k up jor.. Wetin concern him wit politics.. I just hate the way abuses goodluck/wife..