‘Fubara Will Continue to Be Our Hero for Standing Firm to Ensure That Democracy Prevails in the State’ – Rivers PDP Publicity Secretary

The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sharply criticized Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, over his recent comments regarding the local government elections held in the state on Saturday.

In an interview on Channels TV, Wike expressed discontent with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s decision to proceed with the elections despite a court ruling that deemed the electoral process unlawful. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had previously ruled that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) violated legal protocols by not providing the mandatory 90-day notice prior to the election date. The court had also restricted the Independent National Electoral Commission from supplying voter registers and barred security agencies from providing support for the polls.

Despite the ruling, the election took place as scheduled, with Fubara’s allies winning 22 out of 23 local government areas under the Action Peoples Party (APP). Following the elections, violence erupted, with clashes reported between supporters of Wike and Fubara. Allegations surfaced that Wike’s supporters were responsible for setting fire to the Ikwerre Local Government secretariat, and there were instances of gunfire at other locations as political thugs attempted to disrupt the inauguration of newly elected officials.

Wike publicly accused Fubara of undermining Nigerian democracy by ignoring the court’s decision and alleged that Fubara’s attempt to remove the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, fueled the ongoing turmoil.

In response, the PDP urged Wike and his supporters to challenge the election results in court if they disagreed with the outcome. Sydney Gbara, the PDP publicity secretary in Rivers State, questioned why Wike and his allies, who had previously advocated for the elections, were now opposing them. He emphasized that no court ruling could halt an electoral process once initiated, stating, “If you are not okay with an election, you can approach the court after it is conducted. So they should go to court.”

Gbara noted that conducting the local government elections was part of President Bola Tinubu’s peace initiative in 2023, highlighting the prior calls from Wike’s camp for the elections to be held. He criticized the earlier decision of the state assembly to extend the tenure of previous local government chairmen, labeling it unprecedented in Nigeria’s democratic history.

Gbara characterized Fubara as a “hero” for his commitment to uphold democracy in Rivers State, asserting, “Innocent people were killed in cold blood all in a bid to frustrate the electoral process. The truth is that they came late because Rivers People have decided to move on with Fubara.” He maintained that Fubara’s actions align with a Supreme Court ruling requiring the establishment of elected local government chairmen within a specified timeframe.