Wike responsible for Assembly’s actions, former media aide alleges

The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has connived with some judges to obtain a court injunction to declare the State House of Assembly ‘illegal’ and stop them from further sitting. 

The party alleged that the governor’s alleged move was to enable him to appoint local council caretaker committee chairmen after the expiration of the tenure of the current chairmen in June this year.

Speaking, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of APC, Tony Okocha, vowed that the party will vehemently resist the governor if he proceeds with the court injunction, stating that APC, as an opposition, will not allow anyone to turn the state into a place of caricature and anarchy. 

Okocha, who is a close ally to the Minister of Federal  Capital  Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike,  noted that  Fubara’s action is against President Bola Tinubu ‘s peace pact, saying that the governor  cannot claim  to have respect for the President, while, at the same time, disobeying him.

Okocha, however, absolved Wike from accusations of being behind the growing political crisis in the state, saying: “Wike is an independent person; he has no hand in whatever is happening between the legislature and the executive arms of the state government.”

In contrast, a former Senior Special Assistant on Media to former Wike, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, said that the unabated political crisis in the state was because Wike has failed to acknowledge that he is no longer the governor of the state. He said: “Wike sees himself as a demi-god; he doesn’t like people to challenge him. This is unfortunate because he is approaching his political retirement.”

Speaking further, Okocha condemned Fubara for threatening to ‘shock those who criticise or dare him’, saying:  “As opposition, it is our business to shout and ensure that the governor does the right things. We are the voice of the voiceless, and we are ready for this battle to ensure that right things are done not minding whose ox is gored.

“It is anti-people and clear disobedience for the governor to refuse to implement part of the peace agreement, like the presentation of the 2024 budget afresh to the Assembly; yet, he claims he has respect for the President. He cannot disobey a man he has respect for.”

Okocha said that the party will petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) if the governor proceeds with the decision to truncate the proceedings of the Assembly. 

On resolving the crisis, Inko-Tariah said: “Wike’s ego does not show he is interested in enthroning peace in the state. The only way to solve the problems is for the warring actors to put the interest of the state first, but Wike puts his ego above the interest of millions of Rivers people.

Inko-Tariah, however, urged the FCT minister to allow the governor to work and carry out activities and programmes that will bring good governance.  He said that the essence of governance is to enhance the living standards of the people, stressing that the former governor concentrated on infrastructural development, neglecting human capital development; yet he is not happy that Fubara is focusing on human capital development. 

“Fubara is getting organic support because he has good intentions. He is implementing programmes that are touching lives. If by tomorrow the governor comes up with anti-people policies, we will resist it,” Inko-Tariah added.