By Mark Lenu
The forthcoming local government election in Rivers State can best be described as the last straw that broke the camel’s back as it will determine if Governor Siminalayi Fubara is in charge of the state or the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.
This is because the financial autonomy granted to local governments is a sovereign power bestowed on the third tier of government to operate independently which Wike wants to take advantage of to intensify his political fight against Fubara.
During the just concluded factional PDP state congress, Wike vowed to continue his political fight against Fubara, describing the support he gave Fubara during the 2023 governorship election as a waste of investment.
The FCT minister wants to control the state leadership of PDP as usual which he has achieved through the recently held party congresses and he will in turn use his GDI group to field his preferred candidates for the October 5, LG election.
Since the minister had tried to use the state legislature to strongly oppose the Fubara-led administration but did not succeed, the forthcoming LG election is the last resort of Wike to fight the governor if those who will be the minister’s candidates are allowed to win the poll.
Having seen this coming, Fubara went further to establish a movement christened: Simplified Movement and he is likely to use another political party which many have said is APP to field his preferred candidates for the forthcoming LG poll.
The RSIEC Chairman, Adolphus Enebell is a retired judge of the state high court who benefited during Wike’s reign as governor and was appointed by same Wike to serve as RSIEC chairman. Will the FCT minister not have some degree of influence on the RSIEC chairman in the forthcoming LG election?
With the inclusion of LG financial autonomy, there will certainly be more trouble for Fubara if the next elected chairmen and councilors that will emerge after the LG election are loyal to Wike.
