The war of attrition in Rivers State descends to abysmal level as the camps of the major gladiators, Siminalayi Fubara the governor and Nyesom Wike, his immediate predecessor engage each other once again over alleged attempt to detonate bombs in certain locations of the state
By Jude Nzennaya, Port-Harcourt
There is still war of attrition in Rivers State. The governor Siminalayi Fubara and his immediate predecessor Nyesom Wike are up in arms over an attempt by some alleged protesters loyal to Wike to bomb some locations in the state. Governor Fubara alleged that the failed attempt to detonate an explosive device at the Hotel Presidential, a five-star hotel in Port Harcourt, was a deliberate ploy to strengthen the call for a state of emergency by haters, who want to undermine the state to achieve their evil plans.
Fubara maintained that he was not fighting anybody but rather defending the state against predators and protecting Rivers state against those who feel that they own the lives of others.
But the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, MOSOP, has warned both political camps to shun violence and prevent the current political crisis from escalating, stressing that such a situation would work against the interest of the state.
When governor Fubara received a delegation of the Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, led by its Chairman, Senator Orji Kalu, at Government House in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, June 26, he said: “As a matter of fact, let me tell you, I know of everything that is happening. On Tuesday, they (protesters) were aware that you are in the state. So, there was an attempt to create serious problem.
“In fact, there was a plan to detonate dynamite at the Hotel Presidential because you people were there. But this God that we serve, it happened that the man, who was trying to do it, detonated it but just few seconds after, it blew his hands off.
“The plan was that as you were hearing of state of emergency, it will be such that by the time they finish, when you return to have your sitting on Thursday, the debate will be from somebody from this state, who called you to tell you not to come to Rivers State. He will now raise issue of state of emergency, and say after all, distinguished colleagues saw it happen while they were in Rivers State, that you saw what happened.
“But you see, when you are with God, even your child who is planning evil, will go and tell somebody that God is with this man because he is clean, this is what my father is planning. That is what is keeping us in this state.”
The Rivers State governor wondered why it seemed that the law was silent or inactive to take its course over offenders as somebody appeared to be bigger than the law on the agitation, but there is nowhere in the country where tenure elongation for former local government chairmen has been an issue.
He pointed out that no governor in Nigeria can take 10 per cent of the abuse rained on him by former local government council chairmen.
Fubara said he had taken those insults and attacks in his strides without going hard on the purveyors because they planned to distract him, stressing that he had remained focused on delivering good governance and democratic dividends to Rivers people.
On Tuesday, June 25 a middle-aged man, yet to be identified had blown up himself during a protest by some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory in support of police occupation of the 23 local government area secretariats over the LGA leadership crisis in the state.
It was alleged that the suspect was among the protesters and that he had the suspected dynamite that went off in his hand.
It was gathered that the dynamite had exploded and shattered his hand as well causing panic in the area.
The President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke, who issued the warning in a statement in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, June 26, also condemned calls for the declaration of a state of emergency in the state, noting that the situation in Rivers can be resolved if politicians respect the court and the constitution.
In reaction, a group, Rivers Leaders Forum (RLF), has claimed that the Fubara’s stance on the alleged explosion around the Presidential Hotel, in Port Harcourt during the protest by some loyalists of Chief Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory was false.
The forum noted that during the protest that there were no issues of explosion, adding that the protest started at Rumeme Civic Centre on Ikwerre road and terminated at Peoples Club on Rumuola. RLF insisted that the protesters did not get to Presidential Hotel.
The forum made up of former national and State assembly members said the governor misinformed the public when claimed that the protesters had attempted to bomb the Hotel Presidential, noting that the statement was a deliberate attempt to undermine the state’s peace and security.
The former Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Olaka Nwogu, accused the Governor of perpetuating a pattern of misinforming the public, urging the public to to disregard the claims.
According to Nwogu, a peaceful march was held in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area to show solidarity with former Governor Nyesom Wike and express gratitude to the police for maintaining peace despite provocative actions by Governor Fubara, insisting that the march did not involve a failed attempt to blow up Hotel Presidential, as alleged by the Governor.
He stressed that the peaceful march was a demonstration of support for Wike and a testament to his successful tenure as Governor.
Nwogu said: “These allegations, once again, are consistent with a pattern of mis-information and deliberate efforts of H.E. Sim Fubara to undermine the peace and security of the State under his watch.
“To be clear on the matter of the explosion at Hotel Presidential, there was no incident at the hotel associated with the Peace March as the routes for the march are completely different from the location of Hotel Presidential.”
Nwogu stressed the inconsistencies in Governor Fubara’s claims, stating that the peaceful walk in question had a distinct route, starting from Rumueme Civic Centre along Ikwerre Road and ending at People’s Club premises along Rumuiola-Rumuadolu Road.
He said: “It’s only the Governor and Rivers State Government that knew that there were Senators (guest) in Rivers State and we believe he and his team went ahead and planted a “fake explosive” detonator to act drama in other to cry wolf.
“We ask if the Governor or His Commissioner for Health the Police Detectives? or any other security agent that they are the only people that heard an explosion and also arrested the so-called culprit at Rivers State Government-owned hospital. Please let the Police do their job.”
