- Swings Into Action Against Wike
- To Issue white Paper, Gazette Probe findings
- Wike Weighs Options, Moves to Counter Fubara
By Abiola Olawale
It appears Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State is battle-ready to damn all consequences as he has ordered the immediate constitution of a panel of inquiry to look into the governance and spendings of the state during the administration of his immediate predecessor, the incumbent Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The governor made this known on Monday after swearing in Dagogo Iboroma as the Attorney General of the state.
Iboroma was screened and confirmed by the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led House of Assembly.
Speaking during the swearing-in event, Fubara asserted that the state is in a critical situation where it has become obvious that the political crisis cannot be resolved.
The governor accused Wike and his cohort of deliberately sabotaging his administration.
Speaking to Iboroma, Fubara told him to immediately set up the panel of enquiry to look into the activities of the state government in the last 8 years.
He vowed to make tough decisions moving forward no matter how hurtful they would seem.
He also accused the former Attorney General of sabotaging his administration by filing nolle prosequi against the interest of the state.
The New Diplomat reports that Rivers State has been in the news for over six months following the cold war between Fubara and Wike. While the reasons for the acrimony between the duo remain top secret, some insider sources had said that Wike and Fubara had been purportedly battling for control of the oil-rich state’s resources and political machinery. Sources reveal that with the decision of the state government to set up a panel of inquiry into the expenditure and governance of Rivers state in the last eight years, it is clear that Fubara is going for Wike’s Jugular. Said an insider;” Wike is going down already… if a white paper is issued on the findings and it happens that the former governor is indicted in the findings, that might be the beginning of problems for him… The State can actually gazette the report of the inquiry and it’s lawful and binding.”
However, a legal expert in the Wike camp says the situation is not that simplistic. According to him, the former governor has many options including proceeding to court to challenge the motive of the panel of inquiry.
Sources have said that Fubara is allegedly not listening to Wike, who was vital to his victory at the 2023 governorship election.
The crisis has since festered, as about 27 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly including the Speaker, Rt. Hon Martins Amaewhule dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and issued threats to impeach Fubara.
To analysts, these lawmakers have consequently lost their seats for dumping the PDP when there was no internal division to warrant such action. Experts say by this action, they have all lost their seats in the Assembly. This appears to have strengthened the pro-Fubara loyalists in the State.
