Former local government chairmen in Rivers State, loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of orchestrating a protest against the minister. The accusations followed a nationwide hunger protest during which demonstrators besieged Wike’s residence on Ada George Road in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Speaking under the aegis of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, the former chairmen, elected during Wike’s tenure as governor, issued a stern warning to Governor Fubara. Chidi Lloyd, the former Chairman of Emuoha Local Government Area, alleged that Fubara had directed protesters to target Wike’s home.
“We are aware that he [Fubara] directed the protesters to go to the residence of the minister,” Lloyd stated. He threatened to mobilize supporters to protest at Fubara’s property on Forces Avenue if such actions continue. “Enough is enough. Fubara does not have the capacity to cow anybody here. He knows it. And we know his properties and those of his cronies.”
Lloyd further accused Fubara of inciting ethnic tensions and misappropriating state funds. He called on protesters to demand accountability from the governor regarding the N238 billion collected between May and June. “We will not allow him to destroy all that we have achieved in this state just because he knows nothing about leadership,” Lloyd asserted.
The tension between the loyalists of the current and former governors underscores the volatile political climate in Rivers State.