Governor Fubara, left, and Wike
Former governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike has alleged that Governor Siminalayi Fubara attracted the violence witnessed in the state on Monday because he went ahead to conduct LG election in disobedience to court judgment.
Wike, a PDP stalwart who is currently the FCT minister under the APC government of President Bola Tinubu disclosed this as guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Tuesday night.
He condemned the arson and destruction that trailed the election but added that Fubara brought it upon the state. He disowned the arsonists who set three local government secretariats on fire even when they chanted solidarity songs in his favour while destroying the secretariats.
He urged Fubara to follow the rule of law for peace to reign in the state.
“There is peace when you obey the rule of law. There is peace when you obey court judgments,” Wike said, insisting that only obedience to court order will bring peace to the state.
“Obey court judgment, and allow the rule of law to prevail. If you don’t obey the law, you are bringing anarchy.
“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.
Political Economist NG recalls that a court had mandated the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) not to provide security for the election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was also ordered by the court not to release the voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the LG election.
But Governor Fubara vowed to organize the LG election, saying the court order did not bar the state from conducting LG election but only directed the INEC and security not to participate by rendering necessary support.
Fubara who accused security personnel especially the police led by IGP Kayode Egbetokun of bias and fraud insisted on conducting the LG poll on Saturday, October 5 after he announced before the media that Egbetokun and his men have shown bias against him to please “one man in Abuja,” an obvious reference to Wike.
While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which is Fubara and Wike’s party did not participate in the election, the Action Peoples Party (APP) clinched 22 out of the 23 chairmanship positions.
Wike, however, believes Fubara sponsored the APP.
“Today, people say ‘Discipline Wike, he did anti-party’. I did not do anti-party; I said we must stand for equity, fairness, and justice’,” he said.
