- Arrives Rivers State Without Visiting Fubara
By Peter Akoteyon
The Governor of Oyo State and a member of the défunt G-5, a group of five governors elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who aligned with Nyesom Wike in the build up to the 2023 general elections,Seyi Makinde has pleaded with Wike not to “put fire in Oyo State” politics.
The Oyo state governor has been an active member of the G-5 governors which claimed they were rebelling against the PDP zoning arrangement that zoned the presidency to the North.
Makinde who arrived Port Harcourt at the weekend to celebrate with Wike following a reception held in the later’s honour by the Ijaw Peoples Congress defied protocol by not paying a courtesy call on the Rivers State Governor , Siminalayi Fubara, as customary. According to keen political observers, since both serving governors are “ members of the same political party, PDP, it would have been procedural for the visiting governor to pay a courtesy call on the host governor, even if the visit is not official.”
It would be recalled that Governor Fubara and his immediate predecessor, Wike have been having a running battle as to who controls the soul of the PDP in Rivers State.
Despite the fact that Wike has since ceased being governor, he has refused to cede the control of the party to the incumbent governor, Fubara which has generated tension and has pitched members of the party against each other.
While weighing in on the political situation in Rivers State during the reception, Makinde said Wike should be respected and people should appreciate that he sacrificed and he is still sacrificing for the PDP. According to Makinde, Wike has been making such sacrifices even when it was not convient to do so.
He said: “I have come to celebrate with my brother and friend today, the Hon. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. When I arrived yesterday, I told him that I have brought with me peace offering because he has been boasting that he would put fire in some states and I said please don’t put fire in my own state.
“Wike has done extremely well. Yesterday while coming here from the airport I could see the huge infrastructural development that were orchestrated and carried out during your time as governor. You have done well for your people and they are here to honor you. It is a well deserved honor. The highest honor you can get is the one given to you by your own people and that is what we have come to witness here today.”
It would be recalled thatthe political crisis in Rivers State has continued to escalate and oscillate as both pro-Wike and Pro-Fubara political forces battle ferociously for the control of the soul of the State politics.
This unending political battle has further threatened to tear the PDP into shred following moves by the PDP National Working Committe(NWC) to give nod to Wike’s control of the party’s structure in Rivers State. Consequently, Fubara was said to have directed his followers to contest this week’s local government council polls scheduled to hold on October 5, 2024, on the platform of the Action Peoples Party(APP).
