In a bold political move, the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Chijioke Ihunwo, has removed the name of former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike from the council secretariat’s administrative block. The facility has now been renamed after Senator Dr. Obi Wali, a revered figure in the state.
This decision, announced via Ihunwo’s X account on Sunday, follows months of escalating tension between Wike, now serving as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The council chairman shared a video showing the renaming ceremony, making good on his promise to dissociate the secretariat from Wike’s legacy.
“We have changed Wike’s name in the admin block of Obio/Akpor Council, and replaced it with the name of Senator Dr. Obi Wali,” Ihunwo wrote in his statement.
The renaming comes amidst a broader political power struggle in Rivers State, where Wike’s once-unquestioned influence has faced significant resistance from Governor Fubara and his allies. Wike, who governed Rivers State for eight years, continues to wield considerable political clout, but recent developments have cast doubt on his hold over local politics.
The removal of Wike’s name is seen as a direct response to his interference in state and local government matters, with Ihunwo going so far as to call for Wike’s removal from the federal cabinet. Last week, Ihunwo urged President Bola Tinubu to dismiss Wike as FCT Minister, accusing him of “threatening democracy” by disrupting local elections in Rivers State.
“There’s no need to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State. Rivers State is very peaceful,” Ihunwo said in an interview with Arise News.
“What we want to do is to call on Mr. President to call Nyesom Wike to order. Wike cannot own Rivers State, it’s too big for him to hold.”
The rising tensions between Wike and Governor Fubara, who was once considered Wike’s protégé, have split the state’s political landscape. Wike’s loyalists are said to be increasingly sidelined, while Fubara consolidates power.
Observers say Ihunwo’s move to rename the secretariat could mark a turning point in the ongoing feud, signaling a shift in the political dynamics of Rivers State.
Whether this act will further escalate the conflict or pave the way for reconciliation remains to be seen, but for now, the renaming of the Obio/Akpor secretariat stands as a symbolic moment in the state’s unfolding political drama.