Barely three days after giving the Rivers State House of Assembly the nodge to impeach Gov. Siminalayi Fubara if he commits any impeachable offences, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike has vowed not to interfere with the lawmakers’ constitutional duties.
Wike, the immediate past governor, said he predicted the current political crisis and cautioned his successor against taking a path that would lead to it.
According to him, his warning was ignored, and the successor instead surrounded himself with “ungrateful individuals.”
Persecondnews recalls that Gov. Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, have been embroiled in a dispute since Fubara took office.
Fubara alleged that Wike seeks to control the state’s resources, while Wike claims that Fubara reneged on their agreement, which was brokered by President Bola Tinubu.
The crisis escalated to the point where Fubara ceased working with 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike in December 2023, after they defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He presented the 2024 budget to a faction of the House led by Edison Ehie, on December 13, 2023.
After many legal back-and-forth, the Supreme Court on February 28, ordered the Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the House and other elected members to resume legislative duties immediately without any hindrance.
Wike spoke at a thanksgiving/civic reception in his honour on Saturday in Abalama in the Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State by some Ijaw stakeholders under the aegis of New Associates Kalabari.
He criticized Gov. Fubara for withholding salaries and allowances of the 27 lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule, allegedly because his supporters assured him there would be no consequences.
Wike claimed his only sin was advising Fubara to take care of those who supported his election campaign and not abandon them after assuming office.
He said: “The primaries came (PDP primaries). Today, the governor said he was not going to run and that my Commissioner of Finance, Isaac Kamalu, should be the one to run.What did we do wrong. We said all the council chairmen suffered. All the Assemblymen suffered. National Assemblymen suffered for you to become governor. Therefore, do not abandon them.
“That was the only offence I committed’ and then they said every time I am asking for money. Which money am I asking for? Okay, thank you. Has the money come.
“Those they are sharing the money to, how far? What I always tell people to remember yesterday. A man is bad, a man is a crook, a man is a criminal, but it was that criminal, it was that crook who said come, take against all odds.
“If I hated the Ijaw people, I would not have conceded to it, and nothing would have happened, but because of my principle of living and letting live.
“If you watch all those around the governor, they are people who are natural ingrates. Only those who believe that they cannot appreciate and thank God for any good thing will associate themselves.
“I told the governor that all these things you are seeing are not good for you to face this crisis. But they told him you’re Governor, you have money. I agree. Money is not everything. All these people don’t have anything to offer. See where we are now. How far!”
Wike said many of the projects in the state, including the Ring Road, were initiated by him and handed over to the governor as a way to connect with the Rivers people.
He dared Gov. Fubara to name a single project that he initiated on his own.
He added: “It is not to abuse us. You can abuse me as much as you want, and let me tell you, I have never bothered myself because abuse does not kill anybody. What is important is the result. Is it not.
“Who has high blood pressure now? Not them? We we dey sit down dey enjoy. They have high blood pressure. This is what I was avoiding I said look, do not go through this route. They told you to seize assembly members’ salaries and allowances for more than one year.
“These people have no income to pay their children’s school fees or feed their families, and you were jubilating. People were encouraging you, and nothing will happen. Something has happened.
“And let me tell you I am not going to stop the assembly from performing their Constitutional duty. The assembly should be allowed to perform its constitutional duty. People who love peace do not threaten people.
“Assembly people should do their work. Whatever they deem necessary that is Constitutional they should do. I am not going to stop anybody from carrying out his or her powers. I will not do that.”
Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly has adjourned sittings indefinitely, coincidentally, just after Gov. Fubara informed the Speaker of his intention to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the lawmakers on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
This was after his attempt to access the State House of Assembly quarters was blocked on Wednesday, March 12.
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