Political t£nsion resurfaces in Rivers as Wike, Fubara’s allies pick guber forms

Political tension resurfaces in Rivers as Wike, Fubara’s allies pick guber forms

The peace accord reached between the Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the minister of the federal capital territory, FCT, Barr Nyesom Wike, may collapse as the 2027 general elections draw close.

Both Fubara and Wike seem to have returned to the trenches over who becomes the next governor of the state in line with the content of the peace deal in which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a superintendent. One of the major agreements in the deal was that Fubara must not seek re-election in 2027 and that he must join the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Last December, the governor took everybody by surprise when he defected from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and pitched a tent with the APC. The move was the surest way of escaping the incessant impeachment threats against him by the House of Assembly.

But last Tuesday, a group of elders led by Hon Awaji Inombek Abiante, a member of the House of Representatives and an ally of the governor bought the governorship forms for Fubara thereby sparking debate in the state for reneging from the agreement he voluntarily entered into with Wike.

To counter the governor’s swift move, Wike’s allies: Dr Dax George Kelly, a former commissioner for Works and Hon Kingsley Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives also picked forms for the governorship on the platforms of APC and PDP respectively.

This scenario is besides the resolve of Architect Tonye Patrick Cole of the APC, and an ally of the former minister of transportation and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi, to contest the governorship. He had contested on the same platform in 2019 against Wike of PDP and was defeated. He tried again in 2023 against Fubara of then PDP and was equally defeated.

Shortly after buying the form, Cole vowed that he would never step down for anybody in the race. While Tonye Cole may not be a strong contender in the race given his weak political structure in Rivers state, same cannot be said of Kelly and Chinda who rely heavily on the formidable structure of Wike.

Dax is from the same riverine dichotomy with Fubara and may cause an organized confusion in the APC camp to frustrate the governor. In the case of Chinda, he is of the same Ikwerre, the biggest ethnic nationality with Wike. And the fact that Chinda is yet the only PDP aspirant that has indicated interest for the governorship, may be in a better position to rumble the boat for Fubara in 2027.

Fubara set to control the assembly
The governor was alleged to have endorsed the aspirations of 32 aspirants who recently bought forms to contest for the state House of Assembly. The endorsement cut across the entire constituencies and the bulk of them are the governor’s loyalists led by the former speaker, Victor Oko Jumbo.

Interestingly, the former council chairman of Obio/Akpo local government area, Wike’s hometown, Hon Chijioke Ihunwo, Fubara’s strong ally, is set to unseat the current speaker of the House, Rt Hon Martin Amawewhule.

“Fubara bought 32 forms for his foot soldiers to contest all the seats in the Assembly”, one of the governor’s die-hard supporters said.

Renewed impeachment threat?
Sources close to the Assembly hinted that the subtle moves by the governor do not go down well with the political interest of the Minister, hence the need to reopen the impeachment process against him.

According to the sources, the moment the House resumes plenary, the books would be dusted up again and the governor may be made to face another tense moment.

Some of the lawmakers are said to be citing alleged constitutional breaches, including claims relating to budget presentation, expenditure approvals and the composition of the state executive council.

Odds favour Fubara
With the governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma as the chairman of the APC screening committee, political observers in Rivers state are of the opinion that Fubara’s re-election dream would be a smooth sail.

More so, the APC governors’ forum is solidly in support of the governor with some calling on President Tinubu to tame his minister and prevail upon him from further destabilizing APC in Rivers state.

Wike had boasted in January during his tour of the 23 local government areas that he would not repeat the mistake he made in 2023 by endorsing “a disloyal” person to be the governor of the state in 2027. Though he is yet to publicly declare his choice as an aspirant for the job, the minister had said clearly that he would personally choose who becomes the governor of Rivers state in 2027.