Rivers Crisis: Go to court, Fubara our hero – PDP floors Wike

The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed strong disapproval towards Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for his criticism of the recently concluded local government elections in Rivers State.

Wike, in a Channels TV interview, had condemned Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara for proceeding with the October 5 election despite a court ruling. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier declared the election process invalid due to non-compliance with the mandatory 90-day notice requirement and barred the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the election.

Governor Fubara, however, went ahead with the election, resulting in Action Peoples Party (APP) candidates winning in 22 out of the 23 local government areas. The election has been marred by violent clashes between supporters of Wike and Fubara, with the Ikwerre Local Government secretariat set ablaze, allegedly by Wike’s supporters.

In response to the controversy, Wike accused Governor Fubara of undermining democracy and triggering political unrest by attempting to remove the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Amaewhule.

The PDP, in a swift reaction through its publicity secretary, Sydney Gbara, called on Wike and his supporters to seek legal redress if dissatisfied with the election outcome, rather than resorting to further public outbursts.

He said, “We are aware that no court judgement can stop an electoral process. What we know is that if you are not okay with an election, you can approach the court after it is conducted. So they should go to court.

“Let me take Nigerians back, conducting the local government election was one of the items on the presidential peace proclamation made by President Bola Tinubu in 2023. They (Wike and his supporters) have been willing to see the election conducted.

“At one point they even instructed the assembly that if Fubara refuses to conduct the election, he should be impeached. It is now surprising that when the RSIEC drew out the timetable for the election, they are now doing everything possible to stop it.

“This is where the conversation should start from and not whether there was a court judgement or not.

“In fact, it got to a point where the assembly elongated the tenure of the previous LG Chairmen and that was the first of its kind in the history of Nigerian democracy. Now the governor said he is ready for the election and the same people are now speaking from the other side of their mouths, saying the election should not be held.

“Where has Governor Fubara gone wrong? The Supreme Court has given judgement prohibiting caretaker committees and said every state should have elected LG Chairmen and they have a time frame of 90 days or else the state will not get allocation.

“Governor Fubara is just being obedient to the Supreme Court judgment. Anyone who wants to truncate the process does not mean well for Rivers people.”

Sydney Gbara described Fubara as a hero, stressing that “he will continue to be our hero for standing firm to ensure that democracy stands in Rivers State.

“Innocent people were killed in cold blood all in a bid to frustrate the electoral process. The truth is that they came late because Rivers People have decided to move on with Fubara.”