The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, of being responsible for the violence in the state by defying a court ruling.
Wike made this assertion during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday.
Wike claimed that the unrest in Rivers State could be traced to Governor Fubara’s refusal to respect the rule of law, leading to a breakdown of peace.
“Who is the perpetrator of the violence? I am not blaming the Governor, but he is the architect of the violence in the state,” Wike said.
In response to accusations of his involvement in the mayhem, Wike distanced himself from the violent protests, stating, “Did you see my supporters causing the mayhem? Those shouting ‘No Wike, No Rivers,’ is not my business. I was in Abuja and not in Rivers on the day of the election.”
Wike emphasized that adherence to court judgments is crucial to maintaining order, and disobeying legal rulings invites chaos.
“I was a governor, I have always obeyed the rule of law. You heard the governor say that our state is turning into a state of anarchy where people do not obey the rule of law,” he remarked.
“You must obey the judgment of the court. You must not take the law into your own hands. The moment you don’t obey court judgment, you are inviting anarchy, you are inviting violence,” Wike added.
The accusations follow post-election violence in Rivers State, where five people were reported killed, and several local government secretariats were set ablaze.
According to reports, political thugs allegedly loyal to the former governor protested the outcome of the local government elections, resulting in widespread destruction.