We are once again compelled to intervene in the various crises in Rivers State, which appear to be contrived and engineered to truncate democracy with the evil agenda of impeaching the duly elected governor of Rivers State, Amaopusenibo Siminialayi Fubara.
When this wanton attempt escalated in October 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu convened a meeting with stakeholders and tabled an 8-point directive to all parties involved, aimed at restoring peace to Rivers State.
While many of our people perceived Mr. President's 8-point directive as being slanted against the governor's interests and favoring his FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, Governor Fubara accepted it in good faith.
FUBARA'S GOOD FAITH:
Upon returning from the meeting called by Mr. President, Governor Fubara immediately implemented the terms of the President's directive by withdrawing all court cases he had instituted and reinstating the removed members of the state executive council. This council, brimming with stool pigeons and fifth columnists, had treated him with disrespect and incompetence, attempting to create internal turmoil to derail the government.
BARR. NYESOM WIKE'S BAD FAITH:
In contrast, Barr. Nyesom Wike acted in bad faith by refusing to withdraw the court cases he had initiated and instead took precipitate actions to preempt the attainment of peace.
Less than three weeks after the Presidential directives, Mr. Martins Amaewhule led 25 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to defect to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). This baffling action amounted to political suicide as it automatically terminated their membership in the parliament, thereby making it impossible to fulfill another of the President's directives—the representation of the 2024 budget to the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
GOVERNOR FUBARA AND GOVERNOR WIKE'S PUBLIC COMMENTARIES:
While Governor Fubara has consistently acted as a peacemaker in both words and deeds, Barr. Wike has maintained a torrent of reckless statements and actions, creating the impression that either Mr. President, his boss, has no control over him, or they are working in sync to undermine the peace process, with Mr. President merely paying lip service to the cause of peace in Rivers State. This raises questions about the fidelity of the President's relationship with both Governor Fubara and ex-Governor Wike.
MR. PRESIDENT'S CLOUDY STANCE IN THE RIVERS CRISIS:
A critical observation of Mr. President’s body language calls into question his neutrality, integrity, honesty, and good faith. This is evident, as there have been no consequences for Wike’s continuous threats, such as his assertion that he will not allow Fubara to sleep and that he will "put fire" in the states of other PDP governors who show solidarity with Fubara.
The President's supposed neutrality and fidelity are further questioned by the willingness of federal institutions such as the Nigeria Police and the High Courts in Abuja to act in accordance with Wike's directives, including the sealing of Local Government Secretariats in Rivers State and court orders barring the Police from providing security in any part of Rivers State for an entire day.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS IN RIVERS STATE:
While Governor Fubara proceeded to obey the Supreme Court order that Local Government Areas in Nigeria must be administered by elected officers, without which funds must be withheld, Wike and his group took every reprobate step to sabotage the elections. The Wike-controlled PDP in Rivers State boycotted the polls, instituted frivolous litigations, and committed the treasonous act of arson, carried out by gangs chanting "no Wike, no Rivers State."
The acts of arson were carried out on the very day the Police lifted their siege on the LGA Secretariats. These actions were clearly orchestrated, targeting the accounts departments in the LGA offices to cover up massive fraud, particularly in Local Government Areas from which illegal funds were siphoned to fuel Wike's political schemes and unpatriotic brinkmanship.
THE PUBLIC SHOULD NOTE THAT:
It is crystal clear that Governor Fubara has obeyed the Presidential directive, while Barr. Wike has flouted it with impunity, facing no consequences.
Governor Fubara took assiduous steps to actualize the return of elected officers to the local government areas in accordance with the manifest desires of Mr. President, backed by the Supreme Court judgment, while Wike fought the process with court cases, civil disobedience, and violent actions by his known henchmen.
Governor Fubara has consistently extended olive branches, sending peace emissaries to Governor Wike. On the other hand, Governor Wike continues to threaten the peace and stability of Rivers State and Nigeria through his incendiary words and actions, seemingly operating without checks as though there is no authority over him.
CONCLUSION:
We, the Ijaw people, and the world at large are asking: “When will Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, call Governor Wike to order?”
We understand the dictates of politics and the need to harvest Rivers votes for the President’s second-term elections. However, we fail to understand the notion that only Governor Wike can deliver Rivers for the President. We concede that Wike produced some illusory, disputable, and magical votes for the President in the past election, but it must be acknowledged that Wike leveraged his position as Governor. Whatever happens, this time Wike can never be Governor of Rivers again.
Mr. President, sir, as the father of the nation and the alter ego of Nigeria, we fervently appeal to you to call Wike to order for the sake of peace, security, and tranquility in Nigeria. Stop this drift toward national disintegration and anarchy now!
A stitch in time, they say, saves nine.
Long live Ijaw Nation.
Long live Nigeria.
Prof. Benjamin O. Okaba,
President,
Ijaw National Congress (INC)
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