The political tension in Rivers State escalated last week, with both sides of the conflict launching verbal attacks.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the state had called on the state legislators to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Nyesom Wike, Fubara’s former mentor and current FCT Minister, publicly admitted that his choice of successor was a mistake. Speaking at a local event, Wike asked for forgiveness from God and his political allies. He stated, “I acknowledge my error and ask for God’s forgiveness. I also ask all of you to forgive me. We will rectify this at the right time.”
Wike encouraged his followers in the state assembly not to yield to threats, assuring them, “Don’t be scared. No one will unseat you as legislators.” He further added, “Many of you don’t comprehend. This is our job. Our task is to instill fear in them. That’s what I’m doing. We will keep them agitated every day, and they will continue to err.”
Edison Ehie, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, swiftly responded at another event, promising that Fubara would give his adversaries a political lesson. He attributed the state’s crisis to the battle for resource control.
Ehie declared, “We will teach them a lesson in political arithmetic. What that young man (Fubara) will do to you, you’ll realize that khaki is not leather. The issue we have in the state is that 11 individuals decided they would control Rivers State’s resources. These 11 individuals then invited 20 others to distribute resources among themselves.”
Recent events indicate that the factional state legislators are following Wike’s instructions. The now-suspended House had previously defied the governor by passing several laws, which Fubara’s group believes were designed to undermine the governor’s authority.
However, in a countermove, a Rivers State High Court prohibited the pro-Wike speaker and 24 other legislators from presenting themselves as members of the House of Assembly.
