Rivers Political Crisis: “When Time Comes, We'll Know Who Is In Charge” — Wike

Governor Of Rivers State, Siminalaya Fubara and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, will be in charge when the time comes

Nyesom Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), claims that the person in charge of politics in Rivers will come to light when the time is right.

Speaking on Saturday, Wike paid a visit to Bera, Gokana LGA in Rivers, where he met with All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Victor Giadom. Wike declared that the individual “in charge” of the state's political system would be revealed shortly, making a reference to the current political turmoil in the state. “Ignore these ravenous bothersome drivers. We'll know who's in charge and who isn't when the time comes,” he declared.

“I don't know whether you understand what I am saying. There is a time for everything. There is a time to plant and there is a time to harvest. We have no time for politics. This is not the time for anybody to say: ‘I am for this, I am for that.’ We have not reached that time. When the time comes, we will know who is who.”

The former Rivers governor said he is not moved by critical comments on social media. “If you like abse me as you want. If you like, employ everybody on social media. Let me tell you: I have never bothered myself one day to know who is absing me,” he said. Politics will come. We didn't contest elections based on social media. We contested elections speaking to the people and they listened to us.”

Recall that Wike and his successor, Siminalaya Fubara, have been at odds over who controls the state's political apparatus. The state house of assembly complex was demolished as a result of the political unrest instigated by the two men's rivalry.

Following the crisis, members of the Rivers House of Assembly, including Wike, began the impeachment process of the governor. Fubara's allies protested the impeachment proceedings. Following that, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost 27 members of the state house of assembly to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Rivers assembly's factional speaker at the time, Edison Ehie, then proclaimed the seats of the lawmakers who had defected to be empty. Some commissioners from Fubara's cabinet resigned as a result of the political crisis.

President Bola Tinubu intervened on December 18, after which the governor and Wike agreed to put an end to their political rivalry. A few of the resolutions that were decided upon during the meeting were to “immediately” withdraw all cases that the various factions had filed in court, to reinstate the 27 lawmakers who had defected to the APC as assembly members, and to drop the impeachment proceedings against Fubara.

Subsequently, the 27 legislators who had signed the impeachment document withdrew the notice against the governor. Ehie left his position in the legislative chamber on December 29. Following that, Fubara named him chief of staff.