By Kawaekwune Jeffrey
The political crisis rocking Rivers State heightened at the weekend as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, warned the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara that he is prepared to fight back attacks targeted at him.
Wike who warned that “nobody has the monopoly of violence”, stressed that it is wrong to believe that all Ijaws are with Governor Fubara in the escalating political crisis in Rivers State.
Wike, a two-term governor of Rivers State, also reminded Governor Fubara of the pivotal role he played in advancing his political career and ensuring that he was elected governor of Rivers State.
Wike made this assertion at a reception put together in his honour by Rivers State Ijaw Peoples Congress in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the weekend.
Wike said: “Let me thank this team for this strategic meeting here today. First of all, when I was approached by Senator Johnson Nsakebor, he was sent by the Rivers Ijaw Congress to tell me they want to honour me. I asked what the essence of such was. Why do you want to waste such money? I need the money. Give it to me. But he said so many people go on television and speak as if they were speaking on behalf of the Ijaw people. I said okay, I will come and let Nigerians know.”
He added: “ So, all these people going to television to say Ijaw people are fighting me. Ask them: all the Ijaw people in the House of Assembly were positioned. Who has Fubara made? All the things you see are people who are envious of our growth. They couldn’t do what we are doing today. These are people who we have defeated politically several times. If the opportunity comes again, we will defeat them again.”
It would be recalled that political tensions have been high in recent days between Wike and Fubara, with political disputes and accusations dominating the discourse in Rivers State.
This is coming amid reports that Fubara is using the All People’s Party (APP) to create a political structure for himself, a move many see as an attempt to counter Wike’s influence in Rivers state politics.
It would be recalled that Fubara and Wike have been battling over control of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) political structure for the past year.
The situation took another turn as Wike appears to have consolidated his position amidst the political turmoil affecting the Rivers State chapter of the PDP, when the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party gave its nod to the state congresses conducted under the later’s leadership.
