The political turmoil in Rivers State took a dramatic turn as the Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA), a revered Ijaw traditional institution, issued a stern warning to President Bola Tinubu, vowing to “shock” him if Governor Siminalayi Fubara is impeached.
The threat comes in response to comments by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who dismissed concerns over Fubara’s potential impeachment, stating, “If Fubara is impeached, heaven will not fall.”
SEA Chairman, Werinipre Digifa, accused Wike of “recklessness and arrogance” against the Ijaw nation, and criticized President Tinubu for failing to rein in the minister. “Tinubu should be held responsible for Wike’s actions. If they impeach Fubara, we will not resort to violence, but we will shock Tinubu at the appropriate time,” Digifa declared. He further alleged that Wike has turned the judiciary into his “personal estate,” describing Nigeria as a “banana republic.”
The crisis has drawn widespread condemnation, with former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, urging Tinubu to call Wike to order.
“Wike’s rhetoric is inflammatory, dangerous, and embarrassing. He is heating the polity unnecessarily,” George stated. He questioned Wike’s motives, asking, “Is Wike the Commander-in-Chief? Does he control all the forces in Rivers State? His actions are an embarrassment to Tinubu’s administration.”
Governor Fubara, meanwhile, has appealed for peace, urging the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and other stakeholders to prioritize the state’s interest. “The Supreme Court has delivered its judgment; we must abide by it. I am open to peace anytime, because without peace, there can be no development,” Fubara said during the inauguration of the renovated Okrika Grammar School.
The political drama escalated further as the Rivers State House of Assembly invited the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate allegations of age falsification against the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi. Speaker Martins Amaewhule stated, “The documents suggest age falsification. We have resolved to invite the DSS to investigate and report back to the House.”
As tensions rise, stakeholders fear the crisis could spiral out of control. Bode George warned, “History has taught us that you only know the beginning of a crisis, not where it will end. Tinubu must act now before it’s too late.”