Rivers Crisis: Tinubu intervenes as Wike, Fubara meet, greet in Abuja
By Matthew Atungwu
Following a political crisis in the state, President Bola Tinubu intervened yesterday in the disagreement between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his immediate predecessor, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
President Tinubu took advantage of the moment to intervene and possibly put an end to the conflict between the two political allies during the Police Council meeting, which they both attended as members.
The President’s intervention was disclosed by the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting presided over by the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Despite their feud, Fubara and Wike had earlier exchanged pleasantries inside the Council Chambers venue of the meeting before it commenced.
Mohammed, who is the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, PDP-GF, also disclosed that the opposition governors had resolved to work with the President because he had shown good faith by not interfering with governorship cases brought before the courts by PDP members.
The peace moves followed the confirmation of Kayode Egbetokun as the substantive Inspector General of Police, IGP, by the council.
Read Also: Rivers Crisis: PDP NWC begs Wike, Fubara to sheathe swords
The Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, explained that the council confirmed him because he had acquitted himself since he was appointed in an acting capacity.
He noted that Egbetokun has also provided a blueprint for ensuring the security of the country, which indicates his suitability for the post.
To the surprise of some onlookers, Fubara and his estranged godfather and incumbent Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike exchanged pleasantries when they met in Aso Villa.
The duo is among the 36 state governors and others invited to attend the Police Council meeting presided over by President Tinubu.
Other state governors at the meeting were Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Abdullahi Abba (Kano), and Bassey Otu (Cross River).
Before they went into a closed-door session, some of the governors, including Wike and the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, were sighted as they engaged in discussions while others exchanged banters.
Thereafter, Wike proceeded to shake hands and briefly exchanged pleasantries with Governor Fubara after disengaging from the NSA.
It was the first time Fubara (dressed in a white kaftan) and Wike (also spotted in a white kaftan) had been meeting face-to-face since the reported spat between them started.
A reported crisis between Fubara and Wike is said to have led to moves by 24 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Fubara, resulting in turbulence in the state on Monday, as the governor’s loyalists stormed the Assembly complex in protest against the plot.
This came after the bombing of the state House of Assembly located along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt by suspected arsonists on Sunday. A section of the chamber was damaged, and some valuables were destroyed.
It was also reported that the governor’s loyalists in the House of Assembly have removed the Speaker and replaced him with the Leader of the House.
