By Kolawole Ojebisi
As the lingering political crisis in Rivers State continues to generate controversy and debates, some stakeholders in the state, under the auspices of “Rivers Elders”, have advised the state Governor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara against begging his estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike.
The Rivers Elders, who have been supporting Fubara since his rift with Wike began in 2023, stressed that unfavourable Supreme Court judgment should not make the governor kowtow to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
While reaffirming their support for the Rivers governor, the elders stressed that they won’t be cowed into submission by the Supreme Court ruling and other scare tactics supposedly deployed by the immediate past governor of the state.
In an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday, a member of the Rivers State’s Elders Forum and pioneer spokesman for the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, said the state would not succumb to any unnecessary pressure because of the Supreme Court judgment.
Sara-Igbe, who is also the National Coordinator of the South-South Elders Forum, said, “Well, Rivers State will not succumb to unnecessary pressure. Rivers State cannot succumb to somebody who wants to take over the state and we cannot beg anybody in this matter.
“The Federal Government and the Supreme Court want to know what will happen. At the appropriate time, they will see what will happen.”
When asked if elders of the state would advise Fubara to beg Wike and the 27 lawmakers, Sara-Igbe said, “We will not.”
The Rivers State crisis, which began in October 2023, took a dramatic turn on Friday following the Supreme Court ruling which put the balance of power in the hands of Wike and the 27 lawmakers loyal to him.
Recall that at the height of the political crisis between Fubara and Wike, the Rivers State House of Assembly has split into two, with 27 lawmakers backing Wike, while four others pitched their tent with Fubara.
In October 2023, the pro-Wike lawmakers had first attempted to impeach Fubara, a move countered by the governor, leading to the destruction of the Assembly complex by a bomb explosion.
Insisting that the pro-Wike lawmakers had lost their legislative seats following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, Fubara had shunned the 27 lawmakers and rather presented the 2024 and 2025 budgets to the four-member Assembly loyal to him.
However, in its far-reaching verdict on Friday, the apex court ordered the Federal Government to stop financial allocation to Rivers State until Fubara retraces his steps and presents the budget to the pro-Wike lawmakers, led by Martins Amaewhule.
The court also nullified the local government election conducted last year by Fubara.This development which is apparently unfavourable to the Fubara camp may likely alter the dynamics of power in the state in the days ahead.
