By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the incumbent governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, should be blamed for the ugly turn of events in the state.
Wike said his successor’s flagrant disregard for court injunctions could spark anarchy in the state.
The immediate past governor of Rivers State broke his silence after the just concluded local government elections in the state on Saturday.
The immediate past governor of Rivers State made this statement during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday.
“I was a governor, I have always obeyed the rule of law. You heard the governor say that our state is turning into a state of anarchy where people do not obey the rule of law.
“You must obey the judgment of the court. You must not take the law into your own hands. The moment you don’t obey court judgment, you are inviting anarchy, you are inviting violence,” Wike said.
Wike stressed that Fubara has undisguised contempt for rule of law, accusing him of stating publicly on national television that he would comply with a court judgement.
The Minister also deplored what he called his successor’s outburst against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Nigeria Police Force for complying with court ruling concerning the elections.
He said his decision to conduct the local government elections without police participation put the lives of people in danger.
Rivers State has been in embroiled in crisis for months
The origin of the crisis is the rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor in office, Nyesom Wike.
The rift also fragmented the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into two camps.
The Pro-Wike and the Pro-Fubara camps.
While the pro- Wike faction was against the conduct of local government elections in the state, other faction loyal to Fubara canvassed vigorously for the conduct of the local government elections.
This resulted in legal tussles with each faction securing court injunctions that suit their intentions.
There was a court ruling on September 30 that restrained the Nigeria Police Force from participating in the local government elections.
Subsequently, the IGP ordered his men to comply with the ruling. There was another court order from the High Court in Riivers State which gave a nod for the conduct of the council polls.
Also in his reaction to the development, Governor Fubara alleged the IGP was working in concert with Wike in order to undermine the elections.
He vowed that the elections will be held even without police participation citing Anambra as a precedent.
The elections eventually took place with the All Peoples Party (APP)wining in 22 of the 23 local governments in the state.
The only remaining local government was won by the Action Alliance(AA).
Following the announcement and swearing in of the newly elected chairmen, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the withdrawal of the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force from the state. All the local government secretariats were also unsealed.
But hours after the unsealing of secretariats, some hoodlums descended on three of the facilities and set them ablaze.
