..Tinubu Orders Police To Secure LG Secretariats
…Allow Fubara to work, Bode George tells Wike
…Police silent as thugs unleash violence on Rivers LG secretariats
Governor Siminalayi Fubara has urged his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, to let go of any grip he desires to have over Rivers State and allow peace reign in the oil-rich state.
Fubara, who stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday, said he does not regret conducting the local government election in the state last Saturday despite the resistance by Wike’s men in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I have all the guts to do these things,” the governor said, asking his predecessor to let go of whatever hold he thought he had over the South-South state.
The governor said he has kept all “understanding” he had with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure peace in the state but the issue has continued to escalate.
“There is nothing I have not done on this earth for peace to reign. I can tell you the number of times I have knelt to beg that let’s allow this issue to go. I have done everything,” Fubara said.
Asked what his message to Wike would be if they met, Fubara said, “I’ll tell him (Wike) that it has gotten to a point where he needs to let go. We need peace in this state.
“You don’t necessarily need to win all the fights; at times, you just let go for the sake of the good people of Rivers State and the love that you have always professed for the state. We need to secure the state.
“Fubara will leave tomorrow. Who knows who is going to come? It might be through him or another person but we need to secure the state.”
‘No Need To Destroy Rivers’
Fubara said election periods are over and it’s time for governance. He urged the FCT minister to give peace a chance.
“What I am appealing is: everyone should sheathe their swords. Even to the minister, my oga (my boss), there is no need to destroy this state.
“He (Wike) once ruled this state and the state was an envy of every other state. Another person is there now, what we need now is the support, after four years or eight years, who knows? I will also leave and someone else will take over. That should be the spirit.
“When it comes to the election period, you can fight and do whatever but now is the time for governance. We need all the support,” the governor said.
Fubara said all Nigerians know that he has no hand in the destruction of local government secretariats in Rivers State.
The governor noted that he sounded the alarm on Sunday evening when he swore in 23 newly elected LG chairpersons in the state that some aggrieved political actors had mobilised to destabilise the peace of the state on Monday.
Violent clashes erupted in at least four local government areas—with parts of the buildings in Eleme, Ikwerre, and Emohua council premises set ablaze by rampaging political hoodlums, while gunshots were fired sporadically in Ahoada East to resist the new council officials.
The burning of LG secretariats followed the withdrawal of the police officers securing the 23 council secretariats by the commissioner of police.
Though the PDP, APC, and the police opted out of the exercise that produced the newly elected LG chairmen, Fubara insisted that the election be held on Saturday.
After the exercise was held amid heightened tension, the Action People’s Party (APP) won 22 chairmanship positions out of 23 in the oil-rich state while the Action Alliance (AA) won a seat.
Fubara immediately swore in the 23 newly elected local government chairmen on Sunday but some of the LG bosses were attacked upon assumption of office on Monday. Some council secretariats were also set ablaze by political opponents.
President Bola Tinubu has since ordered the police to secure the local government secretariats in the oil-rich state.
Tinubu Orders Police To Secure Rivers LG Secretariats
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to protect local government secretariats in Rivers State against incursion by arsonists and vandals.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga made this known in a statement on Monday after rampaging hoodlums aggrieved with the outcome of Saturday LG poll burnt down some council secretariats in the oil-rich state.
“In response to recent tensions following last Saturday’s local government council election, the President expressed deep concern over reports of arson and explosions in the state,” Onanuga said.
The President urged all political actors to de-escalate the situation and discourage their supporters from engaging in violence or destructive actions.
“President Tinubu directed the police to restore and maintain peace, law, and order immediately.
“While instructing law enforcement agencies to bring the situation under control, he emphasised the need to ensure the security of public institutions.
“President Tinubu said government facilities built with public funds must be safeguarded from vandalism.”
The President stressed that self-help has no place in a democratic system, especially after 25 years of continuous democracy
The incident comes days after the LG elections in Rivers State.
According to President Tinubu, the judiciary can settle all political disputes, and the outcome of this election should be no exception.
Violent clashes erupted in at least four local government areas—with parts of the buildings in Eleme, Ikwerre, and Emohua council premses set ablaze, while gunshots were fired sporadically in Ahoada East to resist the new council officials.
The burning of LG secretariats followed the withdrawal of the police officers securing the 23 council secretariats by the commissioner of police.
Though the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the police opted out of the exercise that produced the newly elected LG chairmen, Governor Siminalayi Fubara insisted that the election be held on Saturday.
After an exercise held amid heightened tension, the Action People’s Party (APP) won 22 chairmanship positions out of 23 in the oil-rich state while the Action Alliance (AA) won a seat.
Fubara sworn in the 23 newly elected local government chairmen in Rivers State on Sunday but some of the LG bosses were attacked upon assumption of office on Monday. Some council secretariats were also set ablaze by political opponents.
River crisis: Allow Fubara to work, Bode George tells Wike
Meanwhile, Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has asked Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to allow Governor Simi Fubara of River State to work.
Wike, the immediate past governor of the oil rich River state, has been locked in a battle with his successor over control of the state.
Governor Fubara’s administration had conducted local government election on Saturday under the Action People’s Party (APP) following the handover of the PDP structure to Wike who is also reportedly controlling the All Progressives Congress (APC) structure in the state.
The tension in Rivers increased after the Saturday’s LG election where APP swept the polls in the 22 of the 23 local governments.
Adding his voice to the issue on Monday, Chief Bode George asked President Tinubu to call his Minister to order and prevail on him to allow Governor Fubara to work.
In a statement, he said, “Now that people of Rivers State have boldly asserted their civic and constitutional rights by coming out to vote in the Local Government election on Saturday, this is the time for former governor of the state and now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to allow Governor Siminalayi Fubara work and deliver dividend of democracy to the people.
“This is also the time for President Bola Tinubu to advise Wike, who is one of his ministers, to allow the governor to work.
“I say this with all sense of responsibility because if this democracy is truncated, God forbid, Tinubu, as the Commander-in-Chief, will be the biggest loser.
“All lovers of democracy will agree with me that political happenings in this oil-bearing state in the last few months, if allowed to continue, can lead to a re-enactment of the crisis in the defunct Western Region between 1962 and 1966 which eventually led to the first military coup of January 15, 1966. Many of our national figures were killed and events of that day led to a second coup on July 29, 1966 when scores of military officers were killed.
“Since history is no longer taught in our schools, I want to remind the gladiators in this Rivers crisis that the January and July 1966 killings eventually led to the civil war between July 6, 1967 and January 15, 1970. Close to two million Nigerians died in the war.”
George stated that happenings in River State call for concern.
“I am raising this alarm because what is happening in Rivers now is a cause for serious concern for everyone.
“My understanding of this man-made crisis is that there is a despotic, divisive, wicked and anti-people design to create a conflagration which may eventually consume our country.
“We all know the economic importance of Rivers to the survival of this nation. It is the gateway to the Niger Delta.
“Any threat to peace in this state will eventually lead to huge security implications, not only for Nigeria but West Africa and Africa. It is good to have political ambition, to be the alpha and omega in a partisan setting but this ambition must not be at variance with the expectations of the people.
“Some have said what is happening can be traced to 2027 elections’ calculations. I believe it is too early to start strategising for a partisan event which is still close to 28 months away.
“One thing is clear: Nyesom Wike was governor of the state for eight years. He left the Government House in May last year and today, he is the FCT Minister. Sir Peter Odili and Rotimi Amaechi were governors before him. Now that Governor Fubara is the Chief Executive of the state, he should be allowed to work. Nobody stays in office forever.
“By 2027, people of Rivers State will decide, through their votes, if they want him to return to office or not. This is how political issues and ambitions are handled in civilised climes. The way this partisan crisis is going, if not checked, may collapse our democracy. Now that council chairmen and councillors have been elected, I appeal to Nyesom Wike to please give peace a chance. Tinubu must also call Wike and tell him to allow the governor to work.
“We know Wike sponsored and supported Fubara to become governor but somebody also supported Wike to be governor from 2015 to 2023. Somebody also nominated him to serve as minister. God will always use somebody to help anybody but nobody is God.”
