The current video and script wars going on among citizens of Rivers State, especially, from the former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, his wife and other key players, is an indication that the alleged peace expected from the declaration of State of Emergency in the State may not be near soon. Though, aside the infighting between the warring factions and their followers, the State has enjoyed relative peace.
The ex -HoS, Nwaeke was an insider in both the administrations the two gladiators, former Governor Nyesom Wike and suspended Governor Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
During Wike’s administration, he was Permanent Secretary in cabinet office and privy to executive decisions. In Fubara’s time, he was Head of Service with a chair in the State Executive.
Nwaeke four days after his resignation, had made startling allegations against Suspended Governor Siminilayi Fubara, linking him (Fubara) with the bombing of the State House of Assembly complex, the pipeline explosions and plans to unseat President Bola Tinubu.
Nwaeke spoke at Transcorp Hinton Hotel Abuja with background voices instructing him on how to soeak while his wife, Florence Nwaeke, who spoke at their Port Harcourt home, raised concerns that, her husband couldn’t say such a thing, alleging that Nwaeke was not himself and may have spoken under duress.
Few hours later, Nwaeke released another video saying he is safe and acused Fubara’s camp to have penetrated his wife with false information.
Fubara swiftly reacted, denying Nwaeke’s allegations in the video clip.
The Governor said, it was unlikely that Nwaeke would have been present if he wanted to discuss such sensitive things the HoS mentioned such as how to bomb places.
Yet again, Nwaeke released another video clip hours later, this time, he appeared more firm and maintained that Fubara allegedly sponsored the bombing of Assembly complex.
However, a discrete listen to the scripted statement by the fomer Head of Service, and his wife’s honest outburst showed the that the coming weeks maybe full of more intrigues and fiercing battle between the two camps, Fubara, Wike and their supporters.
There are emerging indications that the suspended governor of Rivers State may face more shuffling as his attackers seem to be plotting more dangerous actions against him, some of which may be to get his close allies arrested based on revelations from Nwaeke.
Also, the security operatives and the anti-graft agencies may come after Fubara’s chief of staff, Edison Ehie based on the confessions of the former head of service regarding the demolished house of assembly complex and funds alleged to have been dolled out in the Government House to prevent the first impeachment move by the 27 assembly members loyal to the FCT Minister against Fubara.
It was also learnt that the drag net may also be extend to catch up other persons that played prominent roles in the Fubara government.
It was gathered that part of the agenda is to ensure that there is no peace in the first six months of the emergency rule regime in the state hence the need to extend it after six months.
Speaking on the matter, a lawyer in the State, S. J. Ogolo, said the development may lead to a looming anarchy in the State and urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene before it gets out of hand.
Ogolo said, “A lot of constitutional breach and threat to peace and security is happening under his watch, while he looks the other way”.
He stated that the confessions by the wife of the Ex- HoS where she noted that her husband was compelled by the present government to sign a missing N15 billion indicates that the Sole Administrator is on a sinister mission in the State.
He said, “Else, what will lead to a phantom N15 billion naira miss or not declared finding? Is the sole administrator here to investigate the Rivers State Government or here to hold brief and resolve the face-off between the Executive and the Legislator? In less than two weeks, appointees of Government have been laid off and several threats issued at several quarters. there is more to the appointment of Sole Administrator in Rivers State”
He added that the alleged teleguided statement was targeted at; “A forcible arrest and prosecution of some persons who are their perceived threat, distract Rivers People and Nigerians from speaking against the unconstitutional appointment of the sole Administrator in Rivers State and to erode the goodwill enjoyed by Governor Fubara by labelling him as corrupt and evil”.
How Ibas leadership Style is unsettling residents
The State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, is pulling his cards in a disquieting manner. Barely two weeks he resumed duty as the helmsman of Rivers, each day comes with a fresh twist to the troubled State.
On Thursday last week, he ordered the sacking of all political appointees of Fubara and in a statement released night directed the affected persons to hand over to either a permanent secretary or senior official in their offices same day.
Expectedly, the leadership Style of Ibas especially, the sacking of all government appointees is already having its toll on the economy. Statistics showed that about 40 percent of workers have been dislodged from their offices and the effects on their dependants in the current economic woes cannot be imagined.
Keen political watchers say, the game is suspected to demoralise Fubara’s camp but monitoring showed that some persons in Fubara’s camp are unsettled with the emergency regime following its consequences especially, the enormous loss of jobs it has resulted to while some persons in Wike’s camp are excited about the emergency regime.
Meantime, some of the foot soldiers of the suspended governor appeared undaunted and unwavering with the developing scenarios.
Ompne of the pillar heads of Fubara, the ex- Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Chijioke Ihunwo, who was also fingered by Nwaeke on the alleged bombing of the State House of Assembly, said, ” I am not shaken by what is happening in the State, Our support to Fubara is absolute because he is sincere and means well his people unlike other politicians”
“Politics is a game, whatever has the sweet side also has the bitter side, so we are strongly standing with Fubara ” said Ihunwo.
Also speaking, Mrs. Pauline Green, a woman Leader in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the State, lamented that what is going on in Rivers State is no longer about Wike and Fubara but a strange wave of a senister lurking in to the oil rich State.
She said, it is unsettling that a stranger is at the top of affairs of the state regretting that the fighters are busy fighting each other and not considering the enormous loss.
She also alleged the actions were plot to drain the treasury of the State especially, at a time, Nigeria has become a country where accountability is no longer possible.
Indications from the above showed that the coming weeks may be easy for the both camps because more startling revelations may be made, various scripts will be played and of course, the struggle to defend self may while the residents and economy continue to bear the brunt.
Ann Godwin contributed this article for The Guardian
