Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Friday, warned that the illegal impeachment plot against the Governor of Rivers State, Sim Fubara, would have devastating effect on the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He, therefore, called on President Tinubu to call the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to order in his alleged bid to install another Ikwere man as governor in Rivers State through the backdoor.
Frank made the assertions in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja. He underscored the critical and strategic importance of Rivers State to the economic, social and political survival of the country.
According to him, Fubara was freely elected by Rivers’ people during the last general election, adding that, “so any attempt to illegally remove him will lead to a very serious political crisis in the state that may not only affect the economy but setback the present administration’s revenue and development drive.”
He declared that the renewed orchestration by Wike to illegally remove Fubara, was an attempt to undermine the Ijaw people in Rivers State.
Frank said: “Since 1999, this is the first time in Rivers State when you have a Governor from the Ijaw ethnic extraction.
“Every other person who has become governor since 1999 had successfully done two tenures of eight years.
So, Wike must allow Fubara to do his own term peacefully.
“Even though it is common knowledge that he was one of those that were instrumental and backed Fubara to become governor, that does not mean Fubara will now become his stooge and neglect to carry out his constitutional duties as the governor of Rivers State.”
Frank, who represents the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) in East Africa and the Middle East, added: “Fubara was not elected for the sole purpose of protecting the interests of a godfather or a dictator.
“I dare say that the same way Wike feels that he supported Fubara to become governor is the same way he was supported by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, to become governor of Rivers State which he ruled for eight years.
“So, God will always use people to support anybody to become governor or whatever position they aspire to, but that does not mean those who emerged will now become slaves to those that helped them to power.
“During Wike’s time, he was not a slave to Jonathan nor his wife, Patience that helped him to become governor but rather he displayed ingratitude to Jonathan and his wife.
“Therefore, we are using this opportunity to call on Tinubu to call on his Minister Wike to stop his illegal and devilish plot against Fubara.”
He noted that even the Rivers State House of Assembly members now being allegedly engineered by Wike to impeach Fubara were not known to law in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by reason of their defection from PDP to APC.
“The only constitutionally recognized members are the few ones that did not defect to APC. These are the only members vested with the rights to carry out legislative activities in Rivers State.
“Therefore, Tinubu must make sure that there is peace, law and order in Rivers State to allow Fubara to work and deliver on his campaign promises to the people.
“The President must not allow this illegal impeachment being masterminded by Wike against Fubara to trigger the wrath of Ijaw people against his administration.
“Already the Ijaw people are unhappy with his administration because they believe he has handed over the entire Niger Delta region to Wike to dictate and decree according to his whims and caprices.”
According to him, the perception is not not good for Tinubu administration “because Wike does not have the capacity to control or influence any Ijaw man or the people of Niger Delta.”
“Let the President advise and restrain Wike to stay out of Rivers’ political activities otherwise what is about to befall his government will come from Rivers state because what is happening is clear tribalism as Wike want to install another Ikwere man as governor through the back door,” he said
Besides, he said that the Niger Delta people will do everything to stand by Fubara and the people of Rivers state.
He called on the President to heed the call of Ijaw people who called on him to end Wike’s present desperation in Rivers State, like Chief E.K. Clark, Alhaji Asari Dokubo and others who were insisting that Wike’s shenanigans and impunity must stop.
He added: “If this crisis is allowed to degenerate into an ethnic war in Rivers State, it would affect both the state and the entire country negatively.
“Between Fubara and Wike,
If there is anybody that Tinubu’s government should hold to account, it is Wike following revelation that he was declaring N12billion monthly as Internally Generated Revenue during his tenure, which has now risen sharply by over N25 billion IGR monthly under Fubara’s administration.
“So if there is anybody that should have been questioned and facing trial it is somebody’s like Wike.”
He warned that Wike’s attempt to use Federal Might to gain political mileage in Rivers State will not work because Ijaw people are not known to be afraid and they will surely fight to safeguard their political interests.