Following the escalation of tension between the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over the conduct of local government elections, the minister has accused the governor of masterminding the violence that erupted on Monday.
Speaking during a television interview on Tuesday evening, Wike said the violence which erupted in Rivers State on Monday was as a result of the governor’s refusal to obey a court judgment which had barred the state from conducting council elections.
Wike said, “No decent person who believes in the peace and stability of any nation would say that he wants to support violence and doesn’t want people to live in harmony but what is important is that when there is violence and instability, it is for the person to ask what has led to it. I was a governor and I have always obeyed the rule of law. You heard the state governor say that our state has been thrown into anarchy where people do not obey the rule of law. What is the rule of law? We must obey the judgment. You must not take the law into your hands, it doesn’t matter how you see that judgment. The moment you don’t obey court judgment, you’re inviting anarchy and violence. Was that destruction done before now?
“A governor came out on national television to say that he would not obey a court judgment in which it said elections should not be held. He went as far as saying that he doesn’t need police or security agencies before he conducts elections. When someone says he doesn’t need the police, he is inviting violence. Who is the perpetrator of the violence in Rivers? The governor is the architect of the violence. Did you see my supporters causing mayhem? Were they seen on tape causing a crisis? I was in Abuja and I never went anywhere. If I knew my supporters were causing mayhem, I would have condemned it. The governor said that the people do not want to obey the rule of law and the court’s judgment. All of you presented yourselves in court and the matter was argued and the court came up with a judgment that by my own view, this is what is supposed to be done. The moment you don’t obey a court judgment, you are inviting anarchy and violence.”
Last Sunday, the Governor swore in the newly elected council chairmen of the 23 local government areas after they were issued certificates of return by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission. However, the following day, violence erupted as hoodlums opposed to the outcome of the election started vandalising and burning government properties. They set part of the Eleme LGA secretariat on fire and at Ikwerre LGA secretariat, Isiokpo, the office of the chairman was burned down.
