•Fubara, Tinubu and Wike
Following the remarks by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike that if Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State is impeached, heaven would not fall, the leadership of Supreme Egbesu Assembly, SEA, an ancestral traditional institution of the Ijaw people, yesterday, threatened to “shock” President Bola Tinubu at the appropriate time, if the governor is removed.
This came on a day former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George, advised President Tinubu to call Wike to order for peace to reign in Rivers State, reports Vanguard.
The PDP leader said rhetorics coming from Wike on the Rivers crisis are too inflammatory, dangerous and embarrassing.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly has invited the Department of State Services, DSS, to launch an investigation into the alleged age falsification by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Amadi.
Also, Governor Fubara has pleaded with the 27 members of the Assembly and other parties involved in the political imbroglio to consider the interest of the state and accept peace.
Shocking Tinubu
The Chairman of the SEA, Werinipre Digifa, who responded to the statement of the FCT Minister accused him of exhibiting recklessness and arrogance against the Ijaw nation.
Digifa also faulted the President who he said lacks the capacity to tame Wike.
He said: “Tinubu should be held responsible for the recklessness and arrogance Wike is exhibiting against the Ijaw nation. Wike preempted the Supreme Court judgment and the case went exactly the way he wanted it to go.
“This is why I say that Nigeria is a banana republic. Wike has turned the judiciary to his personal estate. If they impeach Fubara, we will not go into violence because Ijaw people don’t believe in violence. We will take everything in good faith.
“We are keenly watching the ongoing political trend which is pure harassment and the intimidation of the Governor of Rivers State. We are listening to the insults, the unguarded utterances and the abuse that is being heaped on the Ijaw ethnic nationality by Wike.
“The Niger Delta is a community and when controversies arise in a community, reasonable people don’t jump into (band) wagon to talk. There is an African adage which says ‘two mad people never behave madly at the same time’, is a bad omen in the Niger Delta for two mad people to talk at the same time, so some of those that have capacity to talk will avoid talking like Wike for now. We all must not talk because Wike is talking.
“However, we are not sleeping, neither are we cowards. But note that we have always won our just battles and this will be no exception. This crass arrogance being displayed by Wike was avoidable, but for former president Goodluck Jonathan and his lovely wife, Patience Jonathan that jettisoned credible candidates and imposed this thoughtless talkative that does not remember good deeds and inflicted this pain on the Rivers State.
Bode George to Tinubu: Wike’s rhetorics inflammatory, dangerous, embarrassing
Also reacting, Bode George said: “Wike’s outburst completely rubbished everything Tinubu tried to achieve. Unless the President is not telling us the whole truth because I don’t know why I will be President and a minister will embarrass my administration publicly that way.”
He said: “As a country, Rivers State is the centre of our economic activity and financial strength. What is going on now is not the fastest track to peace. If crisis starts, it will not only affect Wike but everybody. I am talking as a soldier and a General. Wike is talking too much, saying many things at the same time which are not necessary. Too verbose. When he was Governor for eight years, did he tolerate opposing views?
“Is it because Governor Fubara is a gentleman that he is trying to rubbish him? He said he helped Fubara to become Governor. Is he saying nobody helped him to become Governor in 2015? Did he drop from the sky? Somebody made him a council chairman, Chief of Staff and Minister. Later, somebody helped him to become Governor. Today, somebody helped him to become a minister. So, what exactly is he talking about?
“I watched him and I am still wondering what exactly is Wike trying to achieve by heating the polity. The questions I want to ask Tinubu, based on Wike’s rhetorics, are: ‘Is Wike the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces? Is he the Chief Justice of Nigeria or Chief Judge of Rivers State? Is he the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly? Does he control all the forces in the state?’
“When he talks, he attributes so much imaginary powers to himself to the extent that people are now confused who exactly is in charge between Tinubu and Wike.
“Has Wike fought a war before? What game exactly is Tinubu playing in this Rivers crisis? What exactly is going on? “I am raising this alarm because history has taught us that you only know the beginning of a crisis. You don’t know where it will end.
“Wike talks as if he controls everybody in Nigeria, including Tinubu. I have never seen anything like this in my life. He is becoming an embarrassment in this Rivers crisis.
“Tinubu saw the dimension the Lagos House of Assembly crisis was going. That was why he quickly invited the lawmakers to Abuja. This is the time for him to also invite Fubara and Rivers lawmakers to a meeting immediately.
“What exactly is the essence of that live broadcast he did? To tell Nigerians he is tough, that he has money, that he controls politics of Rivers State? Which minister pays for a live broadcast just to prove that he/she is a godfather/godmother in his or her state?
“A few hours before, the president met Niger Delta leaders in Abuja and told them to find a solution to the crisis. So, with that media parley, is he telling all of us he is more powerful and knowledgeable than Tinubu? That nobody can control him?
“Why is the president allowing Wike to mess him up this way? What is the meaning of ‘if they (lawmakers) impeach Fubara, nothing will happen?’ Is Wike God? We fought a civil war. I am a soldier, a General. How I wish General Benjamin Adekunle were to be alive. I would have begged him to tell Wike horrors of war.
“What Wike is doing is completely unnecessary and unacceptable. It is only somebody who doesn’t know what he is doing who will be beating the drum of war. I appeal to his wife, Madam Justice Eberechi Wike to appeal to her husband to please calm down.
“That people of Rivers State are not talking doesn’t mean they don’t know what they are doing. During the civil war, I know what happened between Bonny and Port Harcourt. Wike should please calm down.
“This is the season of Lent. There is what is called forgiveness. I am advising Wike, like a father to a son, that he should read the masterpiece written by Prof. Chidi Odinkalu on this matter. There is no way anybody can fault his conclusion.
“If Tinubu can’t talk to him, we have elders in PDP who will tell Wike the truth and that is exactly what I am doing now.
“The First Republic crisis started like this in Ibadan in 1962. The Second Republic crisis also started like this in the old Ondo State in 1983. I see what is going on in Rivers as APC gameplan to take power by force.
“I am advising Tinubu to call Wike to order immediately because when crisis starts (I pray it does not), the President will not say we did not warn him. A word is enough for the wise. Enough is enough.”
Consider interest of Rivers, Fubara begs lawmakers, others
Calling for peace, Fubara has urged the 27 members of the Assembly and other parties involved in the political imbroglio to consider the interest of the state and accept peace.
Fubara noted that the lawmakers needed to know that they are also to comply with the ruling, and do so with commitment that prioritises the interest of the state.
The governor spoke at the inauguaration of the Okrika Grammar School in Okrika Local Government Area of the state.
He maintained that such resolve must engender collective action towards achieving peace in the State because it serves as the potent medium through which all the arms of government can function properly while creating public goods that benefit everyone.
Fubara said: “Let me thank everyone, and also say this, it is important at this stage that we all embrace peace. The Supreme Court has delivered its judgment; we don’t have any option than to abide by it.
“And, by the special grace of God, we have started the process. We are appealing to other parties, consider the interest of Rivers State, it is important. The only thing that we owe this State is peace and development. I am open any day, any time for total peace in our state, because if I have to govern well, there is need for peace to prevail.”
Fubara recalled how the planning committee of the 20th Anniversary of the Diocese of Okrika Anglican Communion visited, and appealed to him to give the school, dilapidated for a long time, a facelift.
The governor said: “I felt the least we can do, as a government, is to uplift the standard of this school. And, it is not out of place, because it is part of our agenda.
“The key things in this administration’s agenda are healthcare, education and food sufficiency (agriculture).
“So, we immediately keyed into it, and to the glory of God, we are here to unveil one of the things that we have done, even in the face of these situations confronting our administration, which we didn’t bring upon ourselves. But we give God all the glory.
“I want to assure you that we will continue to do our best because the interest of our State is the most important thing to us. This school is being managed by the church. I believe the church would protect every facility that we have put in this place. The church should see the facility as its own. As a matter of fact, the school belongs to the church, it is not government anymore. What government is doing today is to compliment their effort.”
Rivers Assembly asks DSS to probe CJ over alleged age falsification
Meanwhile, the state House of Assembly has invited the Department of State Service, DSS, to launch an investigation into the alleged age falsification by the Chief Judge, CJ, of the state, Justice Simeon Amadi. The House, after an overwhelming voice vote during plenary, agreed to invite the DSS to investigate the alleged age falsification by the CJ.”
This was the subject of plenary earlier at the Assembly following the presentation of some key documents to the Speaker of the House, Mr. Martins Amaewhule by the leader of the House, Mr. Major Jack.
“Afterwards the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Dumle Maol, raised an allegation against the Chief Judge of the state, Simeon Amadi saying, “These document before me simply say that the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Amadi falsified his age in service. Mr Speaker, that is a very serious allegation, and I do hope that this House takes legislative notice.
“The House, thereafter, debated on the subject matter and resolved to write to the Director of DSS to investigate and revert to the House on their findings for appropriate action.“In his remarks, the Speaker, Mr. Amaewhule said: “The documents are only suggesting a case of age falsification by the Chief Judge of the state, Simeon Amadi. What it means is that there has to be an investigation to that effect.”“It was put to a vote and the House agreed to write the DSS to investigate the age falsification allegation against the Chief Judge.
