Rivers Elders Dump Wike, Declare Support For Fubara

Eko Hot Blog reports that some Rivers State elders have declared their support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara in his political supremacy battle with his predecessor cum the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The elders, who are members of the Rivers State Elders Council, include High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, Chief Rufus Ada-George, Chief Asukewe Iko-Awaji, High Chief Sunnie Chukumele, and a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus.

Other prominent members of the council include a former deputy governor, Dr Gabriel Toby, a Second Republic lawmaker, Senator Bennett Birabi, a Niger Delta activist, Mrs Ann Kio-Briggs, and former Senator, Andrew Uchendu.

Wike and his successor have been at loggerheads since October 2023, when some lawmakers in the state began impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara.

Despite President Tinubu’s intervention, the governor has been at war with 27 lawmakers in the state who are loyal to the FCT minister and have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also, five Commissioners loyal to Wike resigned from the Rivers State Executive Council during the week.

Rivers Elders Speak

Speaking in separate interviews with Punch, the elders advised Fubara to stand firm against Wike and deliver dividends of democracy to the Rivers people.

The elders, who have been vocal about the state’s happenings, said they would not allow the state to be plunged into an avoidable crisis.

 

Speaking in an interview with the newspaper, High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe claimed that Fubara nearly resigned due to the constraints but was persuaded to stay by critical stakeholders.

Chief Sara-Igbe welcomed the resignations of the commissioners loyal to Wike, stating that they added no value to the government.

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