The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has declared that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is already losing political ground in the state.
Wike, speaking at a grand reception held in his honour by the Kalabari people in Abalama, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday, criticised the governor’s choice of allies, saying that Fubara is surrounded by individuals who had previously harboured governorship ambitions.
According to him, he refused to approve Fubara’s alliance with those individuals because he knew they had no good intentions for the people of Rivers State.
The minister declared that Governor Fubara was already down politically and boasted that more setbacks were awaiting him.
He said, “You (Fubara) surround yourself with people who wanted to be governor, to whom I said ‘no, these people don’t mean well for Rivers State.’ They are the ones surrounding you, giving you advice.
“Do you think you will succeed? They will give you bad advice and look at what bad advice is doing to you. You are already down 2-0, and there’s more to come. I have never seen this type of politics where you surround yourself with those who want your seat.”
This comes a few days after Wike said nothing catastrophic would occur if the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martins Amaewhule, proceeds with the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike stated that there was nothing unusual about a state legislature removing a sitting governor over alleged impeachable offences, including claims that Fubara withheld lawmakers’ salaries for several months.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart said, “If you have committed an offence to be impeached, what’s wrong? Is it a criminal offence? It’s provided in the constitution. Am I a member of the Assembly?
“If you have committed an infraction of the constitution and the Assembly deems it fit to say, you should be impeached.
“I have heard people say: ‘Oh, if they impeach him, there will be a breakdown of law and order. ’ Rubbish! Nothing will happen.”
Wike also dismissed suggestions that the Assembly was acting in bad faith, noting that if the lawmakers were not interested in peace, they would have embarked on a six-month recess after the Supreme Court’s verdict on the state’s political crisis.
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