Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State, has claimed that the ongoing conflict between suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, is centered around a dispute over money sharing.
Amaechi made these remarks during an interview with DW Africa on Saturday.
He also criticized the emergency rule imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, calling it unconstitutional.
“The feud between Fubara and Wike is all about money. What else could it be? Nigerians no longer question corruption, and nobody is talking about it on the streets. Why can’t both leaders come forward and explain the issue to the public?” Amaechi said.
He pointed out that Rivers State is the only state in Nigeria under military-style rule, effectively suspending its democracy.
“The actions of the President are unconstitutional. Section 188 of the Constitution defines how a governor can leave office either by death, resignation, or impeachment. It doesn’t give the President the power to remove a governor arbitrarily,” Amaechi emphasized.
He further suggested that the President’s decision to impose emergency rule in the state was politically motivated, aiming to neutralize governors who might oppose his 2027 election ambitions.
“There are rumors that any governor who doesn’t align with the President could be removed. The Rivers situation is about money-sharing and political maneuvering for 2027. If insecurity was the reason for declaring an emergency in Rivers, why hasn’t the same action been taken in other regions struggling with insecurity?” Amaechi questioned.
He argued that security should be a national responsibility, not one for state governors to handle alone, and criticized the notion that the instability in Rivers justified the removal of the elected government.
Amaechi urged the people of Rivers to resist the emergency rule and protest its imposition.
The conflict between Fubara and Wike intensified during last week’s local government elections in Rivers, which were marred by legal disputes over the elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). Both the All Progressives Congress (APC) faction and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), led by Wike’s supporters, pulled out of the elections, citing procedural irregularities.
The ongoing instability in the state ultimately led to the suspension of Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Oduan, and the entire state House of Assembly by President Tinubu. An interim administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, was appointed to take charge of the state’s affairs.
Despite the suspension, the judiciary in Rivers State continues to operate according to its constitutional role.
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