THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said the emergency rule introduced in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu saved the suspended governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, because he wanted him to be impeached.
The minister stated this during an interview with some select journalists in Abuja on Friday, April 18.
“As a politician, I’m not happy because I wanted the outright removal of the governor, but for the interest of the state, the president did the right thing,” Wike stated.
Wike said the president’s action saved Rivers from implosion, arguing that the decision to appoint a sole administrator following Fubara’s suspension was a step in the right direction.
He also referenced the recent Supreme Court ruling against the suspended governor, noting that funds should not be allocated to unelected local government officials and that no funds could be spent at the state level without proper appropriation.
“It’s not in my place to make the governor happy or comfortable, and that’s why there is power play.
“The point I’m trying to make is that Mr. President came in and saved the people of Rivers from that calamity or anarchy,” he said.
The ICIR reported that Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18.
The declaration followed political turbulence in the state.
In a nationwide broadcast, the president suspended the state governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all members of the State House of Assembly for six months.
Tinubu blamed the governor and Wike for allowing the political crisis in the state to escalate.
He particularly criticised Fubara for failing to take action after an oil facility was blown up in the state.
He also accused Fubara of demolishing the state House of Assembly Complex as far back as December 2023 without rebuilding it since then.
The president said Fubara failed to act on vandalisation of pipelines by some militants in the state, and the governor took no action to contain them.
He also accused the governor of failing to condemn the attack, including the groups that had threatened mayhem and destruction of oil facilities should the governor be impeached.
He then declared what he described as “extraordinary measures” to restore good governance, peace, order, and security in the state.
He nominated Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, a retired vice admiral, as administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state.
A reporter with the ICIR
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