•Ateke Tom warns against ethnic colouration
By Davies Iheamnachor
To many, the political crisis that enveloped Rivers State on Monday was about the move by desperate lawmakers in the state House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara but to political leaders, it was a battle to keep the structure of former Governor Nyesom Wike intact.
It is believed that you can kill a man, but any attempt to trample on the dignity and honour of a leader is not always treated with a kid’s glove, so does the will of a Nigeria politician.
Sunday night, the hallowed chamber of the Rivers State House of Assembly was attacked by unknown arsonists and burnt down as the assembly was gearing up to suspend the Leader of the House, Ehie Edison, and commence impeachment process against Fubara.
This was as result of the meeting earlier same night attended by members of the state legislature wherein it was allegedly resolved that impeachment notice should be processed against Fubara.
A source had hinted that the resolve for the impeachment notice on the governor was because of his disregard for alleged standing agreement he had with Wike, his predecessor, before he (Fubara) was chosen for the business.
The source alleged that it was part of the agreement that Wike, now the Minister of FCT, would solely nominate all the members of the state cabinet, plan programmes of government, including projects, and even approves visitors to the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The source, who was privy to the meeting of the lawmakers, alleged that they said the FCT Minister was angry that the governor, barely six months into the administration, had begun to go contrary to the agreement and so should be impeached.
Crux of the matter
It was learnt that Fubara tinkered with the agreement by bringing in some persons into the State Executive Council without Wike’s approval.
The source alleged that the appointment of the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, who hails from Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, same LG with Fubara, did not get the approval of Wike.
The source said Johnson’s appointment had triggered disagreement between the pair, noting that Wike had approved four appointees but that Fubara on his own added one more name to make it five.
Wike reportedly queried why Fubara would add another name from his LGA that has 10 wards to the list when the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Roseline Uranta, was already in the cabinet.
Wike, who came into the state penultimate Friday, according to the source, had said the Fubara appointments, which brought those outside of his political circle into cabinet, was an attempt by the governor to begin to build his own structure and ought to be stopped.
Wike’s concern, according to sources, has always been around his political structure which he has used to gain the full control of Rivers and even parts of the South-South.
Wike has remained a dogged political fighter who has never lost any battle especially since his first time as Minister.
Between 2013 and 2015 as Minister of Education, he went into political war with then-Chubuike Amaechi. Eight years later, the former governor is entangled in battle with his successor also as Minister.
In between, he was governor at the Brick House for eight years.
‘You can’t take my political base’
The FCT Minister said, last week, that no good politicians would watch another take his political structure and not react, stating that he would not allow anyone take his political base.
Wike, spoke when members of the management of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, led by the Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, paid him a courtesy call in his Abuja office.
Addressing the visitors Wike said: “As far as I am concerned, the right thing must be done.
“All of us want to be politically relevant and all of us want to maintain our political structure. You will not allow anybody to cut you out immediately?
“If you take my base, am I not politically irrelevant? You can turn it as economic reason if you want to say it is your business. But at the appropriate time we will know who is right and who is wrong.”
Fubara plays down disagreement
Meanwhile, Fubara assured that he would resolve the crisis.
The governor spoke when he played host to the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwarbin Musa, on a courtesy visit to the Brick House, Wednesday.
He assured that the crisis was a family affair and whatever the issues were would be resolved amicably.
Fubara said: “I know a few things have happened in our dear state and everybody is wondering what is happening and what is not happening.
“We are okay, there is no problem. If we have internal issue, it will be resolved and everything will go back to normal.
“There is nothing wrong if father and son have problem. But if there is anything, I will definitely resolve the issue”.
Avoid ethnic colouration – Ateke
The Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Tom, called for calm in Rivers and advised all those involved in the crisis to seek a way of making peace.
Ateke, who condemned the burning of the state assembly chamber, said the impeachment move against Fubara was not in the interest of the state.
The ex-Niger Delta agitator warned against ethnic colouration to the crisis, noting that it was a battle between Fubara and Wike.
He noted that Wike, an Ikwerre, was instrumental to the making of Fubara from the riverine area.
Ateke condemned what he called a plot to destabilise the state by reading ethnic motive into the crisis, adding that the impasse would not benefit anybody.
The royal father faulted the move to impeach Fubara less than six months in office.
The king said: “I have observed with deep concern the ongoing situation in Rivers State. “Our beloved Rivers State is currently facing a challenging situation between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“The current crisis must be resolved swiftly for the benefit of our state and its people. We should continue the path of development and peace established by the previous administration, which the current government is also following.
“I condemn the attempted impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara within only six months of his administration. This is not in the best interest of our state.
“I call on law enforcement agencies to remain loyal to the people and not be swayed by political actors. The use of water cannons and teargas on the Rivers State Governor is unacceptable.
“I hope for a return to normalcy in our government and legislative processes, which will benefit our citizens and business community.
“I appeal to all the people of Rivers State, including political actors, Royal fathers, and the youth, to come together and prioritize peace, unity, and dialogue. Our state’s future depends on our collective efforts.”
‘What happened was mutiny’
Former Publicity Secretary of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Anabs Sara-Igbe, on his part, described the Rivers crisis as mutiny.
Sara-Igbe alleged that Wike was suppressing the incumbent governor, urging Fubara to take charge of governance.
He said: “What happened today was mutiny against the people of Rivers State. So, I strongly wholeheartedly condemn what happened. It goes to show that somebody somewhere wants to show power, it goes to show somebody wants to continue to run the state.
“A situation where somebody is a governor and you don’t have power to appoint any member of your cabinet and someone will be telling the governor what he will collect from the revenue is a mutiny.
“Rivers State belongs to all of us and it does not belong to one man. You want to control Abuja, you want to control Rivers State and the governor is still loyal, but you don’t want to give him breathing space. You want to cut-off his neck. He has gone beyond his boundaries and so the Rivers people should get up.
“Rivers people voted for Sim Fubara as governor; they didn’t vote for Wike as governor.”
Sara-Igbe claimed that former President Goodluck Jonathan worked and made Wike governor, but noted that the former President did not compel him to go against his will.
He said: “Wike was brought by Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, they made him governor, they did not dictate to him. They did not force him to bring Rivers money to them, so why should he ask somebody because he assisted him?
“So, I, as an elder statesman, condemn the crisis but I am not surprised because the law of karma will naturally take its place. I have severally advised former governors not to do wrong to avoid the law of karma as it will come when you do not expect. “I think Mr Governor should take steps. He has constitutional powers, he should take over government.
“The governor should immediately summon the Security Council meeting to stop that mutiny, to discuss the security situation in the state, who and how was the Assembly burnt and why was it burnt”.
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