RIVERS CRISIS DEEPENS AS WIKE, FUBARA SUPPORTERS CLASH DURING TOWN HALL MEETING IN P’HARCOURT
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Agency report
Tensions flared in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, on Friday as supporters of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and those of the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, clashed during a town hall meeting.
The event, which drew participants from both political camps along with other residents and indigenes of the state, quickly turned heated as attendees took turns voicing their opinions on the ongoing political turmoil in the oil-rich state.
As the people spoke their minds concerning the crisis, trouble started when the President General of the Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI, Bright Amaewhule, took the stage and said, “There’s no indigene of Rivers State that will not recognize the role GDI played in the emergence of Sim Fubara as Governor of Rivers State.
“Before the campaign proper, we moved Sim from one local government to another, not the Honourable Minister.
“GDI was the group that propelled Sim into being accepted by the people of Rivers State even when he was rejected by the people who claim to be his brothers and sisters.
“Even when those who now came around him after he had become governor, asking him not to listen to any other person, asking him not to be loyal to the political party that brought him. These were the problems.”
Following the GDI president’s comments, the Rivers Labour Party Chairman, Hilda Dokubo, who was sitting in the front row, got up and walked out, saying, “I can’t sit here and listen to this.”
She was later prevailed upon by the organizers to return to her seat, as Channels Television reports.
Speaking next was Mr. Kenwell Ibanibo, who, while responding to Mr. Amaewhule’s comments, said, “I’ve heard the GDI Chairman say they supported Sim Fubara to become governor, but I’m asking you, what did he do to warrant the 1st impeachment attempt after just 5 months?
“The point is, somebody somewhere who thinks he’s the owner of Rivers State took this position and influenced the impeachment.”
At this moment, supporters of the FCT Minister, led by Chibike Ikenga, the factional Rivers APC Chairman, interjected. They started remonstrating with Mr. Ibanibo, who kept insisting, “You spoke, I didn’t interrupt you.”
Hot words were being exchanged by supporters of both groups, with a Wike supporter heard shouting, “Insult Wike now! Una go still beg, una go still come lie down. Person wey lie down never stand up una dey talk!” To which the now returned Hilda Dokubo fired back, “Him no go lie down! I say him no go lie down! No be Wike lie down for somewhere so!?”
As the melee went on, the anchor tried multiple times to regain control of the situation, appealing to everyone to take their seats.
Even Mr. Jake Epelle could be seen trying to calm frayed nerves as he appealed to the agitated individuals to sheath their swords.
The tense situation even led to the bouncers coming into the hall and taking up strategic positions as they watched the tense situation.
After minutes of shouting and remonstration, Mr. Ibanibo volunteered to temporarily leave the stage for peace to reign. This served to calm the tensions, and the town hall continued.
That wasn’t the end of it though, as there was a terse exchange when popular Niger Delta activist, Ann-Kio Briggs, was interrupted by Mr. Ikenga.
She curtly shut him down, saying, “I don’t know when you spoke, but I did not interrupt you, please let me be. If I don’t speak for you, I speak for myself.”
President Bola Tinubu had suspended the governor for 6 months following the crisis, which gradually resulted in the destruction of oil facilities in the state.
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