By Abiola Olawale
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and his predecessor, the incumbent Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike to embrace each other and put an end to the escalation of political tension in the oil-rich state.
The former President who who is also a former governor of Bayelsa State while speaking at an event held for the official kick-off of the construction of the N222.1bn Trans-Kalabari Road in Rivers state, urged Fubara and Wike to find a common ground for the good of the people of the state.
According to Jonathan, the acrimonious relationship between the duo could be damaging to the growth and development of Rivers.
He observed that the political tension in the state was too much but said the crisis would not help the development of Rivers.
He said destabilizing Rivers would negatively affect the Niger Delta region and would also have spiral effects on the country insisting that Rivers remained critical to Nigeria.
The New Diplomat reports that Rivers State has been in the news for over six months over 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 have said that Fubara is allegedly not listening to Wike, who was vital in 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. This appears to have strengthened the pro-Fubara loyalists in the State.
