For some time now, Rivers State has experienced a lack of good governance and peace due to an ongoing political crisis. Despite President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to end the rift, tensions between Nyesom Wike, the current minister of the FCT, and Governor Sim Fubara has gone worse.
In response to the political crisis ,former First Lady Patience Jonathan has called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and Nyesom Wike to prioritize peace. Speaking at the 60th anniversary of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) international colloquium in Abuja on Thursday, June 27, she urged the conflicting parties to allow the current administration in Rivers State to function without disruption.
Rivers State has been mired in crisis since a fallout between former Governor Wike and his preferred successor, Governor Fubara. The conflict centers around control of the oil-rich state. Governor Fubara recently survived an impeachment attempt by lawmakers loyal to Wike, highlighting the intensity of the political struggle.
On Tuesday, a dynamite explosion near the Presidential Hotel on the Aba Expressway in Port Harcourt caused panic. The state government later arrested a suspect linked to the incident. Governor Fubara accused Wike of orchestrating the bombing and hiring youths to protest for the extension of tenure for former local government chairmen, further exacerbating the state’s tensions.
Governor Fubara has expressed his dissatisfaction with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing unmet expectations for himself and his supporters. During a meeting with the Senate Committee on Privatisation, led by Senator Orji Kalu, Fubara acknowledged PDP leader Senator Abba Moro but humorously noted his reluctance to follow party protocols due to perceived betrayals.
