According to a report by Vanguard News, Alfred Kemepado, Bayelsa State’s Commissioner for Youths Development, has issued a strong warning to President Bola Tinubu regarding the “reckless statements” made by his appointee, Nyesom Wike, about the Ijaw people.
Speaking on Arise TV’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, Kemepado cautioned that Wike’s disrespectful comments could cost President Tinubu valuable votes in the 2027 presidential election, particularly from communities that have been on the receiving end of the minister’s remarks.
“Nobody gets more votes for the president by insulting the people,” Kemepado said during the interview.
He questioned the logic behind Wike’s approach: “If anybody serving the president goes about insulting people everywhere, is that how to woo more votes for the president? So on the day of election, would you leave your units and wards and go to these places you’ve been insulting people?”
The commissioner’s concerns stem from Wike’s recent description of the Ijaws as a “minority group,” a characterization that sparked outrage throughout the Ijaw Nation.
Community members accused the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of disrespecting their late leader, Edwin Clark, and wrongfully linking their ethnic group to criminal activities.
Kemepado stressed that public officials should be mindful of their public statements, particularly when discussing ethnic groups.
He pointed out that insulting remarks about any group’s ancestry are inappropriate for anyone holding government office and could have far-reaching political consequences.
“It is not about whether the PDP is worried, the presidency that one of his appointees is going about disrespecting and insulting people,” Kemepado noted, suggesting that President Tinubu should be concerned about how such comments reflect on his administration.
The commissioner also defended Governor Douye Diri’s recent directive prohibiting political rallies in Bayelsa State.
He explained that this decision was made after learning that groups loyal to Wike were planning events that could potentially disrupt the state’s peace.
“Governor Diri is afraid of nothing. We have a responsibility to provide governance and one of the things we have achieved is peace,” Kemepado stated, emphasizing that the governor acted to prevent potential political unrest.
He clarified that Diri was not worried about the possibility of emergency rule being imposed on Bayelsa, similar to what reportedly happened in neighboring Rivers State.
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