Protests erupt as Wike’s civic reception in Rivers faces backlash
…As Wike accuses Gov. Fubara of ingratitude
By Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt
Violence erupted on Saturday in Abalama, a Kalabari riverine community in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, as angry youths, largely consisting of women, blocked the Emohua-Kalabari Road leading to the venue of former Governor Nyesom Wike’s planned civic reception.
The protest was fueled by dissatisfaction with the event, which was organized by a group known as Wike Associates to celebrate the former governor’s contributions to the Ijaw people.
However, the event was criticised and condemned by the majority of the Ijaw people, who accused Wike of insulting them as an ethnic group, despite their role in enabling Ikwerre people to become governor and ruling consecutively for sixteen years.
The Nigerian Police were forced to use minimal force, including firing tear gas indiscriminately, to disperse the protesters.
Our correspondent, who monitored the program, reported that Wike’s billboards for the occasion were destroyed by the angry protesters, who were seen carrying green leaves to express their grievances.
Once the situation calmed and the program began, Wike, who flew in by helicopter, lambasted Governor Fubara for being ungrateful to the elders or powers that helped him become governor.
The FCT Minister, however, did not provide specifics about what constituted his accusation of ingratitude.
He boasted that the recent Supreme Court ruling, which pronounced victory for him and the 27 lawmakers who had earlier defected from the PDP to the APC, was an indication that they were on the right path.
Speculation had been rife that Wike, who had previously been seen as Fubara’s political godfather, sought to control the treasury of Rivers State under the guise of godfatherism.
In fact, Governor Fubara was quoted as telling stakeholders during his one-year anniversary in office that, although he was celebrating a year, he had only been in charge for four months. This further fueled the allegation, which Wike has yet to deny or confirm.
Other political figures who came under fire from Wike during his address at the event included Sir Celestine Omehia and Chief Sara Igbe, a chieftain of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), for leading some Ijaw elders to Abuja to seek presidential intervention in the political crisis affecting Rivers State.
Wike accused the elders of encouraging Governor Fubara to disregard the gentleman’s agreement initially made with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu regarding the Rivers political crisis.
He questioned why the elders now sought the President’s intervention again.
The Minister also accused Governor Fubara of unjustly withholding the allowances of the 27 lawmakers, subjecting their families to hardship.
He was unequivocal that the lawmakers had the right to do their jobs, even if it meant impeaching the Governor.
Wike denied insulting the Kalabari people and assured them of continued partnership.
Earlier, the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) had planned to obstruct the program by scheduling their own meeting at the same time and venue, raising fears of a potential clash.
As a result, the Amanyanabo of the area was forced to cancel both programs.
This tense situation prompted the CEO of Royal Fouche Security Services and the Amanyanabo of Torusarama Piri, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, who had been providing security along the Emohua-Kalabari Road, to withdraw their services, escalating fears of possible attacks that Saturday.
