Groups and individuals seem to find their voice after fresh tensions arising from Nyesom Wike’s war against Governor Sim Fubara and the one-week tour of 22 LGAs of Rivers State by the FCT Minister.
One of the influential analysts who chose to remain anonymous said from all indications, Nigerians can attest that one man tries to change the game of politics in Rivers State as a result of greed. “Thus, Rivers State was sold to outsiders, allowing them to intrude into the state’s affairs.
“The same greed led to the political warlord plotting to remove the governor with which resulted in his defection to the APC.”
Putting down his foot, the source said: “Let’s keep the record straight. If not the disturbances of the FCT Minister using his federal might and power to battle Gov Fubara, which prompted his movement to the APC, the governor would have still been a PDP member. “His peaceful move at this point became necessary because that was the only option for continuity and sustenance. I think this is natural. Any human who finds himself in his shoes would do the same.”
The source said Gov Fubara has good intentions for the people of Rivers State, the source said his rejection of Wike’s structure of “godfatherism” and the kangaroo “Agreement” based on greed and self-interest, which would have allowed him (Wike) to become a live governor. “The Governor must have seen this which made him decamp in opposition.
“In other words, he went on, it’s not all about Gov. Fubara nor President Tinubu, but a Minister who allowed the President’s interference in Rivers State politics out of his personal greed. “He, too, would have played the game like every other former governor who governed their state and left. Guess Godswill Apkabio, his political friend, won’t do this to his people.
Obviously, the source went on, “The political crisis in the state is caused by Wike’s style of politics trying to make Rivers State his personal estate. Political analysts believe that if Minister Wike were not in the scene, the declaration of the State of Emergency wouldn’t have occurred. And, this is the fact.
He went on: “WIKE is trying to make the State ungovernable for the Governor by declaring war here and there. Is it Tinubu that sent him? He thus played on him because of his ambition.
“The truth of the matter is that Wike has sold the state to the APC. How? Firstly, his activities brought about the Governor’s defection to the APC.
“Secondly, his double-game political style of ambition, and godfatherism brought about President Tinubu’s intrusion. Unfortunately for him, he never knew it would backfire.”
To the people of Rivers State, the analyst said they should resist Wike’s political godfatherism because a State which belongs to many ethnic groups cannot be one man’s personal property. He should concentrate on his ministerial duties in Abuja.
“Any attempt to own Rivers State or impeach the governor will be resisted by the good and peaceful people of Rivers State, and well-meaning Nigerians.
“All, both Wike and his loyal Assembly members are fighting Rivers State. By assessment, Gov Sim Fubara is doing well. Fighting him means fighting the progress of the State out of greediness, personal ambition, and wickedness which is uncalled for as one man cannot change the law.
“In the eyes of the law, democracy by definition, is Government of the people, for the people by the people” And NOT “Government of god-fatherism” nor political gladiator fighting to control and dictate for the people.
Finally, Rivers is not a conquered territory. They will all be put to shame because God is watching.”
Read also: Impeachment twists: Tension still in Rivers as lawmakers insist on Fubara’s ouster
IYC seeks action, clarity:
In a move that has sent ripples through the political landscape of Rivers State, Maobuye Nangi Obu, the Secretary-General of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, issued a searing critique of the current administration’s handling of the state’s political ‘conundrum.’
Labeling the current situation “ongoing madness,” the IYC scribe issued an 8-point observation titled ‘Rivers State of Mind’, warning that the lack of official communication is leaving supporters armed with nothing but social media gossip.
He outlined the gaps in Gov Fubara’s approach.
The ‘Propaganda’ Gap:
The most stinging critique was leveled at the Governor’s communication strategy. Obu highlighted a glaring vacancy in the administration: the absence of a functional, strong-willed Spokesperson or Chief Press Secretary.
“We need a strong character for this position, more like a ‘Chief propagandist’ of sorts,” Obu stated, arguing that the Governor’s position is being lost in the noise because no one is officially authorized to speak with authority on his behalf.
The Ghost of the ‘Agreement’
He said central to the crisis is the recurring claim by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that an “agreement” exists. While Wike has been consistent with his “Agreement is Agreement” mantra, the IYC Secretary-General challenged the Governor to break his silence.
“Our dear Governor has yet to address the press, debunking whether there was an ‘agreement’ or not,” Obu noted.
He advised that if an agreement truly existed, the Governor should honor it. He questioned why there would be a change of heart if terms were previously accepted. “He [Wike] may be making a point here; debunk him with the truth if what he is saying is all lies.”
A “Fishy” Impeachment Plot:
Addressing the move by the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach the Governor, Obu acknowledged their constitutional rights under Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution. However, he raised a red flag over the inclusion of the Deputy Governor in the impeachment proceedings.
“Something is fishy here,” Obu warned, suggesting a potential power play where Martins Amaewhule might seek to become Acting Governor. He called on the people of Rivers State to resist any such “ploy.”
Call for Calm Among Ijaw Youths:
As the Secretary-General of the IYC, Obu’s words carry significant weight with the Ijaw ethnic nationality. “Despite the tension, he urged the “teeming Ijaw Youths” to remain calm and wait for the Governor to provide clarity before taking any action on the streets.”
The Bottom Line:
According to Anderson Hart, the IYC Scribe’s intervention marks a shift in the narrative, moving away from blind partisanship toward a demand for administrative accountability and transparency. His ultimatum is clear: the Governor must activate a robust communication team and speak the “categorical truth” about any standing agreements to prevent the state from sliding back into a round of killings.
“I am not responsible for what anyone chose to understand,” Obu concluded, maintaining his stance despite potential misinterpretation. “As always, I come in peace.”
Hart thinks this intervention by a high-ranking IYC official puts significant pressure on the Governor to pivot from a silent strategy to an active defense. By calling for a ‘Chief Propagandist,’ Obu is signaling that the Governor is currently losing the media war.
Mike Iwezor points to traps and errors:
Mike Iwezor, a pro-Ikwerre activist and publisher, said in politics, power is not lost only through defeat; sometimes, it is lost through miscalculation. In Rivers State, he said, Nyesom Wike appears to have walked straight into such an error and only now is he realizing the cost.
He went on in his facebook page, “Wike lost this political fight the moment he allowed his loyalists in the Rivers State House of Assembly to defect to the APC. At the time, it may have looked like a smart tactical move, weakening Governor Siminalayi Fubara within the PDP. But that move has since backfired spectacularly.
“What Wike likely did not anticipate was Fubara’s eventual move to the APC. Today, Fubara is effectively the number one APC member in Rivers State. By pushing his Assembly loyalists into the same party, Wike unintentionally stripped them of any real leverage. They are now powerless to act against a fellow party member, especially one who enjoys federal backing.
“The APC leadership will not tolerate internal sabotage against its sitting governor. Any attempt by these lawmakers to destabilize Fubara would be seen as anti-party activity. Once Fubara secures the ticket, those same lawmakers will have no choice but to work for his reelection. Politics, after all, follows party interest before personal loyalty.
“Funny enough, Wike himself is not a member of the APC and realistically, he cannot join now or anytime soon. The APC already has established power blocs and influential figures. Wike’s political style thrives on dominance and control, but in the APC, he would be just another player, likely subordinate to Fubara. That is not a position Wike is known to accept.”
He said even if Wike were to join the APC today, he would still be constrained. “Working against Fubara would amount to working against the party and by extension, against the President. That political reality effectively neutralizes him.
“This explains his recent moves: travelling from one local government to another, speaking emotionally, attempting to rally sympathy. Deep down, Wike understands what is at stake. As he himself reportedly admitted, if Fubara is reelected, his political career is effectively over.”
And he is right, he says. “This situation is the consequence of allowing personal ego and overconfidence to cloud strategic judgment. Rivers politics has always followed a familiar pattern: the protégé eventually grows more powerful than the godfather. Wike benefited from this same system in the past; now, he is paying its price. I feel no pity for him.
Iwezor says Fubara too should also take a lesson from this episode. “Power in Rivers politics is never permanent, and today’s victor can easily become tomorrow’s victim. If he attempts to impose his personal interests too much on his successor the same way Wike tried to do, he should be prepared for the same resistance and possibly the same downfall.
“Rivers politics has a long memory. Successors rarely remain loyal, and godfatherism often ends in betrayal. If Gov Fubara repeats that pattern, history will not spare him. The system he benefits from today is the same one that could be used against him tomorrow. In Rivers State, the cycle is clear: those who impose eventually lose control.”
