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The Inside Story Why The 3 RIVERS Bigwigs Clashed
The struggle for political power supremacy in Rivers State since 1999 to date has resulted to a clash of interests of the former Governors and their successor in office. It’s already a known fact that Rivers State treasury is like a honey comb which attracts every other bee around it. Have you paused to ask why every Rivers State serving Governor always eyes the seat of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the end of his 8 years tenure in office? The reason may not be unconnected to the humongous sums of money they illegitimately amassed while in office.
The story of former Governor Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the current Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara all not in good terms with each other is worrisome as it is detriment to the physical development of the state.
First, it was after the then Governor Peter Odili was voted into office that Chief Rufus Ada George, his former boss and former Governor of Rivers State in 1991 to November 17th, was unceremoniously sent out of Rivers State after his village house at Okrika town was set ablaze and life made hellish for him until he flee abroad with his late wife.
It was in 2007 that Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, brought him back to Port Harcourt and rehabilitated him.
In 2007 to 2015 while Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was elected twice as executive Governor of Rivers State he made life hellish for his predecessor Dr. Peter Odili so much so that he set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission headed by Justice Kayode Esho now late. The public trial of Dr. Peter Odili brought much condemnation against his political son Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi till today as both cannot share common environment as former governors of Rivers State who can be invited for Security or Economic Council meeting of the state.
The sad thing that happened in 2015, when the then former Minister of state for Education Nyesom Wike, boldly challenged his former boss as Chief of Staff to Governor Amaechi as he set up political pressure group Grassroot Development Initiatives—GDI which fused with People’s Democractic Party PDP and pushed out All Progressive Congress APC Rivers State Governorship candidate Dr. Adol Dakuku Peterside who was choice of the outgoing governor Amaechi. The duo of Amaechi and Wike cannot share common environment as former governors of Rivers State.
In 2023 it is now attestation to the unseasoned political rivalry existing among former Governors of Rivers State and their successors in office. The story of Wike, Amaechi and Fubara all not having a common political space to advance the interests of the citizens and residents of Rivers State is now taking a toil on the well-being of the state.
Armed with humongous sums of money as governors and armed with burning desire to emerge as President of Nigeria, these former governors struggle to destroy the political structure of their predecessors while going outside the state to canvass for political structure where they spent much of the state resources while their subjects and supporters inside the state fight against each other as killings and destruction of properties usually take front seat. Each election circle in Rivers State is another period of former governors and their successors in office to struggle for control and influence. In less than 6- months that Governor Fubara took over the mantle of leadership in the state did Nyesom Wike began to mount pressure on him in the administration of the state.
Lack of commitment on the part of the governors to get their acts together for consolidation and continuity of programs of action in the execution of projects that will advance the well-being of the citizens has also been noticed as one of the problems in the state.
On Monday 30th of October 2023, residents woke up with the news of the impeachment process of the incumbent Governor Siminialayi Fubara without substantial allegations of wrong-doing proferred against him.
The governor is now battling in two courts, Rivers State High Court Isiokpo Judicial Division and Federal High Court, in Port Harcourt Judicial Division. These courts are at the stage of preventing further breach of public peace as there has been issuances of interim Order ex parte motion stopping Rivers State House of Assembly, Speaker Rivers State House of Assembly and Chief Judge of Rivers State from proceeding with the impeachment proceedings for the removal of Siminialayi Fubara.
The control of the state resources and the control of political structure remain factors leading to the struggle of power and political supremacy in the Oil rich state.
– Emeka Amaefula
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