Ayodele Olalere
The governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has opened up on the reason his immediate predecessor and now Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike is fighting him.
Both Wike and Fubara belong to the People Democratic Party, PDP which is the ruling party in the state but the former works as a Minister under the All Progressives Congress Party, APC which is the national ruling party.
Fubara and Wike have been at loggerheads since the former became the governor of the state. Their fight has paralyzed political and economic activities in the state.
Their feud has divided the state as the House of Assembly have been factionalized with a faction supporting Wike and another on the side of the governor.
The recent ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja which ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to stop paying the state federal allocation following the conduct of local government elections by the governor has further worsened the crisis as the governor’s faction accused Wike of influencing the court’s ruling.
It is recalled that the police also refused to provide security for electorates during the council election with stakeholders pointing at Wike as the mastermind of the police’s action.
However, while giving an insight into the cause of his fall out with his political godfather, Fubara said the primary cause of the political crisis in the state is the struggle for control of state resources.
The governor spoke at the 18th anniversary celebration of Omega Power Ministries (OPM) on Sunday, November 3.
“There is a reason for this crisis, and that reason is the control of the resources of Rivers State, Rivers state resources belong to you, and we will make sure that the resources are applied judiciously for the betterment of the state. What you owe us is just one thing: continue to pray for us. Let us not lose focus because we know the devil is always at war to derail people in governance,” Fubara said.
He added: “Continue to pray for us because what is most important is the interest of the people here, and I believe that with your prayers, we will not lose focus and the purpose of governance will be achieved in Rivers state.”
