July 30, (THEWILL) — The umbrella body of Ijaw elders, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), has rejected the Bill seeking to permanently elevate the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto as the exclusive co-chairmen of the Traditional Rulers Council.
The INC stated that the move would be at the expense of apex traditional rulers from other ethnic nationalities and geopolitical divides.
The second vice chairman of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Alabo Nengi James (OON), in a statement in Odi on Sunday, said Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government area of Bayelsa State, the proposal is a continuous infringement on Traditional Rulers in Nigeria.
Alabo Nengi James describes the provision of the Bill as unacceptable and against the Rights of the indigenous people across tribes, religion, culture and customs.
He said the Bill should be reviewed to include clauses such as no permanent chairmanship for Sultan and Ooni, which must only be allowed in the ongoing bill being discussed in the Senate.
He advocates that the National Assembly should allow the National Council of Traditional Rulers to appoint their leadership themselves, rotationally and based on federal character.
“Include the Role of Traditional Rulers in the Constitution, and No Traditional Ruler from another tribe or religion is superior to another.
“The National Assembly should step down the provocative and dehumanising offensive Bill that will cause a serious rift and breach of peace in Nigeria.”
Chief James called the attention of the Senate President, Rt. Hon. Godswill Akpabio, urging him to immediately step down on what he termed a “highly insensitive and dangerous bill”.
He emphasised that traditional rulers across the country must be given equal recognition and should be allowed to choose their national leadership through internal mechanisms that reflect rotational leadership and the federal character system.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
