Prof. A.W. Obianime, a former president of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), led the 60-member group of well-known Niger Delta leaders, according to a statement released by Dr. Kingsley Kuku on Saturday.
The South-South area considered Rivers to be strategically important, and its present political developments underscore that Rivers cannot afford to be in a state of crisis.
"Rivers State is as important to the Niger Delta as Lagos State is to the South West. This is due to the fact that we feel compelled to denounce the gruesome dance taking place since harm done to one is harm done to all.
"We denounce with PANDEF, INC, IYC, MOSIEND, MOSOP, Ogbakor Ikwerre, and all other accountable entities in the Niger Delta the petty attempts at impeachment at the State House of Assembly, based on baseless accusations of 'gross misconduct.'"
For the entire Niger Delta as well as for us, it is completely intolerable. It is strongly suggested that everybody, including authorities and groups, who are fueling this fire stop and let peace prevail, according to the statement.
According to the statement, Wike has the power to mediate peace because both the legislative and executive branches are made up of his political protégés.
When you speak with them, they will pay attention. Everyone's looking at you. Act as the mediator that you are and take all necessary steps to put out this fire in a timely manner before it spreads too far.
"There will be no positive outcomes for anyone." It won't be good for us as Niger Deltans in general and Rivers people specifically.
Your silence on this issue won't be golden, and everyone will assume you're pulling a ruse.
"We beg you to intervene in a nonviolent manner to settle this dispute so that the people of Nigeria won't claim that Pompey was sipping tea while Rome burned," the statement read.
It further stated that the leaders, who were drawn from the Niger Delta region's several states, visited Wike to express their support for him in light of Sheik Gumi's recent remarks and to push for an end to the political unrest in Rivers.
"Hon. Minister, a relevant matter that demands our notice and our support for you relates to your recent verbal exchange with Sheikh Ahmed Gumi. We felt compelled to add our voices even if this remark has elicited a wide range of responses from people.
Gummi's assumption of exclusive ownership and control over the governance of Abuja by a specific ethno-religious zone in Nigeria is, to put it mildly, puerile, hubristic, reckless, and polarizing.
It is completely unacceptable since it goes against Abuja's reputation as Nigeria's melting pot.
"We appreciate the overwhelming backlash against his frank remarks from all quarters and the rejection of his narrow-minded and insensitive stance even from the Northern Elders Forum (N.E.F.)," the statement read.
The statement claims that because Wike has a solid socio-political foundation, he is not a political orphan from the Niger Delta.
Therefore, we vehemently disagree with the calls for the Minister's dismissal and the threat to blackmail the President by denying him political or electoral support in the far-off year 2027 if he disobeys his demonic orders.
"We question Gumi's whereabouts and his level of courage in threatening the President. The statement continued, "We also ask what electoral value Gumi holds in Nigerian politics.
According to the statement, Wike was asked by the leaders of the Niger Delta to disregard these distracting distractions and concentrate on his duties as Minister of