The President of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Benjamin Okaba on Monday said the Ijaw ethnic group would support a detribalised Nigerian to emerge as president in 2023.

Okaba said this while speaking during a programme on Rhythm 93.7FM, Port Harcourt, monitored by our correspondent.

He said, “First and foremost, the Ijaw nation is not very particular about the elections in 2023 because, during our visit to the Presidency, we made it very clear that our commitment to the Nigerian project is dependent on inclusion.

Our position is that for the stability of this country, for power rotation, we are not mature yet. There is a point in this nation that we will get to where we say okay the president can come from any place if he has the capacity, love and he has what it takes to rule.

Okaba continued, “But in a country that is so backward, that political capital is now used as a means of development; anybody that gets into power develops his own place, appoints his own people. The President (Muhammadu Buhari) has the NNPC dominated by his tribesmen and all that.

“So, we are looking at key issues of restructuring, community policing, the issue of balkanization of our people, particularly places like Akwa Ibom and Edo where in spite of producing the oil, these states are treated as second class citizens.”