Former New People’s Democratic Party (NPDP) national publicity secretary and All Progressives Congress leader Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze has criticized President Bola Tinubu for not bringing up Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike during his remarks about the crisis roiling Rivers State.
Although Wike is widely believed to be a major actor in the turmoil that shook some sections of the state during the local government elections, Eze praised Tinubu for his intervention and questioned why Wike was not mentioned in the statement signed by President Onanuga’s aide, Bayo Onanuga.
It was stated that Tinubu had directed the Police to quickly bring an end to burning of local government secretariats in Rivers State, stressing that only the judiciary can settle any political problems emantating from the council election.
Eze, however, believed that Wike ought to have been named in the presidential statement.
“To put it mildly, it is unacceptable that Governor Fubara is urging Rivers State’s blindfolded loyalists and Governor Wike to exercise restraint and uphold the law,” Eze stated in a statement on Tuesday.
“For Tinubu refusing to call his FCT Minister to order, who everybody knows his boys are behind the heinous acts in the State and refusal to allow peace to reign supreme in the State is saddening, mischievous and unfortunate.
“Those behind all these atrocious acts are not denying their devilish acts. They have the nerve and boldness to declare that they are protesting the outcome of the Local Government elections in the State and are refusing to allow the duly elected Council Chairmen to assume office while our security agencies look the other way.
“The security reports about these attacks against the sovereignty of Rivers State was in the public domain as the Governor highlighted about it that 20 people per ward are being recruited to unleash mayhem in the State.
“Again, the deep concern expressed by President Tinubu over reports of arson and explosions in Rivers State is patriotic and a welcome development, but not giving a stern directive to the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies to fish out masterminds and prosecute perpetrators of the dastardly acts in the State is worrisome, despicable and highly condemnable.
“The madness, act of terrorism and show of irresponsibility that happened in Rivers state in the aftermath of the council elections is far beyond calling on the police to maintain peace, law and order.
“Since Mr. President either deliberately or inadvertently omitted calling for the arrest of identified culprits of this undemocratic and heinous crime against Rivers State, I call on the Rivers State Government to launch a probe and apprehend those self-serving hangers-on and their evil cohorts who are waging war against the people of Rivers State.
“I condemn in the strongest terms, the brazen display of arrogance, cowardice, insanity, and acts of terrorism by the pro-Wike supporters, who are wallowing in the murky waters of disbelief as a result of the way and manner they lost out in the council elections and in the leadership of Rivers State.
“While I urge calm and peace in the State, I call on the FCT Minister to emulate the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume who hold superior offices in the Tinubu’s administration but yet allowed peace to prevail in their respective States.
“That Wike is serving in Tinubu’s government, -a reward for betraying and working hard to decimate a party that gave him the political leverage to become a Council Chairman, Chief of Staff, Minister and Governor for eight years- does not mean he should set Rivers State on fire due to egocentric reasons.
“Though the withdrawal of Police from the Local Government Secretariats are in order, but being in the know of security reports of plots to unleash mayhem by these unscrupulous enemies of democracy would have made the Police to guide and provide security to the elected Council Chairmen.
“Without mincing words, the withdrawal of Police after months of occupation of the council secretariats and subsequent burning of some of secretatiats a day after, made their withdrawal a bit suspicious, ill-timed and poor intelligence gathering.
“If the Police is not playing game with the peace of Rivers State, the IGP should apologize to the State for locking the Local Government secretariats for this three months while other States that have Caretaker Committees at their Local Government Areas were not locked out.
“The IGP must ensure that the perpetrators of these attacks are duly arrested and punished accordingly. Until this is done, Rivers State will be left with no option than to view the Police as playing games with the security of the State.
“Emulate Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Peter Odili, Rt. Hon. Barr Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Kwankwaso the National Leader of NPP, Dr. Gregory Peter, and of course President Bola Tinubu who are all superior to you in all aspects of human endeavors of their relationship with their Home Governors and for allowing peace to reign in their States while you have become a laughing stock before the entire world,” Eze adds in his advice to Wike.
