Kehinde Fajobi
A Senior Special Assistant to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, has urged Afenifere chieftain Dr Femi Okurounmu to avoid comments that could damage his reputation, particularly when discussing issues where objectivity might be compromised.
Olayinka’s statement came in response to Okurounmu’s remarks accusing President Bola Tinubu of a “laid-back” approach to the ongoing crisis in Rivers State.
Olayinka questioned what Okurounmu expected President Tinubu to do, suggesting that Okurounmu was ignoring Rivers Governor Sim Fubara’s defiance of court rulings.
“It is strange that a former senator like Dr Okurounmu could ignore the serious implications of Governor Fubara’s disregard for court judgments,” Olayinka said, arguing that this behaviour poses a threat to democracy and national peace.
He added that Okurounmu was among a small group of senators suspended since 1999.
In his earlier comments, Okurounmu had criticised Wike for allegedly orchestrating the Rivers crisis, suggesting that Wike was trying to use Governor Fubara as his “surrogate.”
Olayinka responded, asking, “When did Wike tell Dr Okurounmu he wanted Governor Fubara to be his surrogate rather than function as the governor?” He also pointed out that “as an elder, Okurounmu should reflect on his role in Fubara’s election.”
Olayinka further emphasised the traditional role of elders in resolving conflicts, saying, “In Yorubaland, elders listen to both sides of a conflict; they don’t assign blame from their bedrooms as Dr Okurounmu has done.”
He questioned whether Wike was responsible for recent incidents in Rivers, including the alleged arson at the State House of Assembly complex, and the reported use of only three assembly members to pass the state budget and confirm appointments.
Olayinka criticised Governor Fubara for allegedly ignoring judicial rulings, such as an October 10 Court of Appeal decision nullifying Rivers State’s 2024 budget.
He argued that Okurounmu had chosen to overlook the threat this disregard for law posed to democracy.
In response to Okurounmu’s charge that Tinubu was handling the Rivers crisis too passively, Olayinka asked, “What does Baba Femi Okurounmu expect the President to do? Should he overrule court decisions and support Governor Fubara’s lawlessness?”