Wike and Fubara
AS the political crisis in Rivers State continues to fester, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has mocked the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, over recent developments in the state.
Wike, who boasted of his victory in the political battle between him and the governor, said, “You are down by two-zero,” referring to Fubara.
This was as a Niger Delta militant group issued a fresh threat to blow up pipelines over a recent Supreme Court judgment ordering the seizure of the state and local government allocations.
Recall that about six months into Fubara’s administration, a disagreement ensued between the governor and his predecessor which culminated in an attempt to impeach the governor.
The state House of Assembly was bombed, and the crisis factionalised the Assembly with the emergence of two Speakers, Martin Amaewhule, loyal to Wike; and Victor Oko-Jumbo, loyal to the governor.
Though Fubara survived the impeachment, the governor and the lawmakers have been enmeshed in a lingering crisis for over one year with him recognising the Oko-Jumbo-led House.
In the heat of the crisis, 27 lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress during one of its sittings, citing crisis in the party, though the matter was in court before the recent Supreme Court judgment which put paid to the issue recognising the pro-Wike lawmakers as the legitimate members.
The apex court also ordered the suspension of monthly allocations to the state and local governments.
Speaking on Saturday while addressing his supporters during a grand reception organised for him by Ijaw stakeholders from the Kalabari Kingdom on the platform of the NEW Associates on Saturday, Wike maintained that he would not stop the state Assembly from carrying out its functions.
He said, “There is still more to come,” predicting more woes for the governor following the recent Supreme Court judgment that asked the Central Bank of Nigeria to stop federal allocation to the state and its local governments, with the validation of the Martins Amaewhile-led House of Assembly.
Speaking further, Wike blamed the political crisis in the state on Fubara, who he accused of betraying those who worked for him to emerge as the governor.
“I was trying to avoid the crisis; I have always told him (Fubara) not to go through this route. They told him to seize the salary and allowances of Assembly members.
“For more than one year, these people had no income to pay their children’s school fees, to feed their families and he was jubilating. People were encouraging you that nothing will happen, but something has happened.
“I’m not going to stop the Assembly from performing their constitutional duties, the Assembly members should be allowed to perform their constitutional duties; people who love peace do not threaten other people. The more you threaten, the more the problem.
“Assembly people must do their work. Whatever they deem necessary and fit that is constitutional, they should do. I’m not going to stop anybody from carrying out his or her power, I will not do that.
“With all our efforts and our sweat, we cannot be pushed out. All of you suffered, and somebody cannot just come because they gave him power overnight and say we should get out.
“If you watch all those around the governor, they are people who are naturally ingrates. Nobody who is not an ingrate will associate with the governor with what is going on.
“Only those who believe that they do not appreciate and thank God for any good thing will associate with themselves,” he said.
Wike vowed to deliver the state to President Bola Tinubu in 2027, boasting that, “I have defeated them before and I will continue to defeat them. So, for me, I have made it clear that this state is supporting President Bola Tinubu.”
A militant group, Niger Delta Ground Fighters, issued a fresh threat to attack oil pipelines over the Supreme Court’s judgment ordering the seizure of the state’s allocation.
This comes barely a week after the Niger Delta Rescue Movement threatened to disrupt oil production if the Federal Government did not intervene in the political crisis affecting the state.
The militants accused Wike of fuelling the crisis, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
In a viral video seen on Saturday, the militants, armed with AK-47 rifles and other weapons, chanted solidarity songs and vowed to take drastic action if their demands were not met.
The leader of the group, who identified himself as ‘Commander No Good Advice,’ expressed frustration over what he described as Wike’s interference with the governance of Rivers State.
“We have been in the creek, but Sim (Governor Siminalayi Fubara) told us to come out and embrace peace. Now, some people don’t want that peace. If they don’t release our allocation, we will vandalise every pipeline in Rivers State. There will be no peace,” he said.
However, Wike dismissed the militants’ threats, insisting that such actions would fail.
Wike insisted that Niger Delta must embrace dialogue and intellectual engagement rather than threats of sabotage.
“Nobody should be associating anything evil with the Ijaw people. Ijaw people are not evil people. Every time something happens, the only thing you hear is, ‘You will blow up pipelines.’ No. Engage people intellectually, engage people diplomatically, and you will get to where you want to get to,” he said.
Wike maintained that threats and illegal actions would not change the political landscape in the state. Punch
