- Safiu Kehinde
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed how suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, came to his house with two All Progressives Congress (APC) governors to beg for peace.
Wike made the disclosure while speaking during his monthly media chat with newsmen on Monday.
Recall that the former Rivers governor and Fubara, his successor, had been at loggerhead over the political leadership of the oil-rich state.
Their age-long clash had sparked several political unrest across the state, ranging from the divide in the Rivers House Assembly where Pro-Wike lawmakers clash with others supporting Fubara to the Supreme Court ruling which suspended Federal allocation to the state.
The crisis had intensified during last year’s local government election in the state as several council secretariats were set ablaze.
With several attempts to resolve the crisis proving abortive, President Bola Tinubu would declare a state of emergency with Fubara and his cabinet, including the members of the Rivers Assembly, suspended for six months.
Tinubu thereafter appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (Rtd) as Rivers Sole Administrator who is to see to the affairs of the state while Fubara’s suspension lasts.
Speaking on the governor’s quest towards peaceful resolution during the media chat, Wike recalled the President’s futile effort in ensuing peace before he confirmed Fubara’s visitation with the two undisclosed APC governors.
Wike said they came to beg for peace which he also claimed to be open to.
“The President has called for peace severally and I cannot sit down and one person that called for peace said he does not want peace. Yes, he came with two governors. Unfortunately, the two governors were APC. So I will not pursue him. And he said he wants peace. Fine, I want peace.” He said.
However, the Minister held that the resolution of the crisis goes Fubara’s plea for peace.
He charged the suspended governor to take necessary steps while describing his ordeal as a self-inflicted problem.
Wike also recounted his attempt to avert the problem from the governor as recalled how he had invited him for talk in the presence of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, amongst others.
The FCT Minister claimed they had advised Fubara against been pushed and misled to abandon those who have contributed to the development of the state.
Wike held that the suspended governor was pushed by people, including PDP Governors, who charged him to assert himself.
“You people think that the thing is just easy like that. A man came and said I want peace. And he goes. Then peace come. There are open windows for you. What happened is that there are open door and open window for you.
“Take the necessary steps to show really you want peace. Indeed, this is a self-inflicted injury. He doesn’t need it.
“When this thing started, I called him. Seyi Makinde was there, Ortom was there, Ikpeazu was there,. We sat him down that look this thing is not good for you. God has given you this thing. Why not humbly and don’t allow people to push you. They are telling you to act like a governor. We know. Nobody is taking it away. You are a governor.
“But also mind you that people laboured day and night. And all I said was don’t abandon people who have laboured, who have toiled day and night.
“They said oh! Wike is trying to control, demand money , this and that. I’m sure all of you were of that opinion. There is nothing, they have a television called Arise who just without giving facts. They are noted for it. They pushed him and pushed him.
“Governors came, pushed him. Where are they now? I think those governors are enjoying their own. Is it not?
“You don’t need to admit to that kind of a problem. This is a young man. I said look go this way and this way, you will not have problem. People came and said don’t mind him. Assert yourself as governor. He asserted now, trouble has come. Who wears the shoe knows where the pain is. Who will suffer?” He said.
When asked on response to Fubara’s plea, Wike disclosed telling the suspended governor that he has no capacity to make the peace.
“I told him (Fubara) I don’t think you have the capacity to really make this peace. It’s not easy; if you’re making peace, your people are demonstrating every day. If you are making peace, your people are busy on television insulting people.” He said.
The Minister, however, hinted steps to be taken by the governor as part of his move for peace.
“At least you have now tried to take a step to say look, I’m not part of these that you are doing. But that’s not enough to say you have really took step. Have you met the Assembly people?
“There are leaders you should meet. It’s not just to say I want peace. Yes, you must show by conduct and by action that indeed. Look, when I was Chairman of council, some leaders of the party tried to balkanize and tried to impeach me. Impeachment is a constitutional provision. So I sat back, I called my team that look what do we do? We stopped to conquer. You have to use your head.” He said.
Wike warned that the Rivers Assembly will remain the same on its stance against the governor if the crisis is not resolved before the expiration of the emergency rule.
“Assuming now we don’t settle this problem and the state of emergency is called off, has the problem ended? No!
“One, Assembly will still be the same as they have been. So the crisis will still be there. They will not pass the budget. You won’t get the money for Federal Allocation.” He added.