Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has expressed concern over the mention of his name by President Bola Tinubu in connection with the ongoing destruction of local government secretariats in Rivers State.
Governor Fubara, who has been locked in a bitter dispute with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, for over a year, raised questions about why his name was singled out in President Tinubu’s statement.
The Rivers State crisis escalated recently when political hoodlums set fire to local government secretariats in Eleme, Ikwerre, and Emohua council areas. The violence occurred following the withdrawal of police officers who were previously securing the secretariats.
Gunshots were also reported in Ahoada East, as the newly elected local government officials faced resistance while trying to assume their positions.
The violent clashes are believed to be tied to the broader political conflict between Fubara and Wike, as both leaders continue their power struggle in the state.
Governor Fubara, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, acknowledged the importance of President Tinubu’s intervention but expressed his concern over the president’s decision to specifically mention him.
“I do not have any issue with it,” Fubara said. “But I am a bit concerned when my name was only mentioned.”
Fubara explained that everyone in Nigeria, especially in Rivers State, knows where the crisis originates. He insisted that the problem lies not with him but with other underlying issues.
Fubara suggested that the withdrawal of the police from the secretariats may have contributed to the recent violence. He expressed his hope that the intervention of the Inspector General of Police would restore order.
The governor also appealed for security to be provided to the newly elected local government officials so they could perform their duties without fear of attack.
