Former Rivers State Governor Ada George has come under fire from Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, for remarks he made recently regarding the state’s political problems.
The fact that certain Rivers elders are now acting like “children who lost their most expensive toys” after he accused them of playing ostrich when suspended Governor Sim Fubara was behaving like an emperor is regrettable, according to Olayinka.
Olayinka finds it amusing and regrettable that Ada George, who was among those applauding for Fubara while he was sitting on the State House of Assembly members’ salaries and other benefits, is now debating who should be held accountable for the state’s emergency.
George had accused the FCT minister of masterminding the current political crisis in Rivers State, including the declaration of a state of emergency and the appointment of sole administrators in each of the state’s twenty-three local government districts, at a media briefing.
Olayinka retorted that George did not possess the qualifications to be referred to as an elder.
Olayinka stated in a statement he signed: “Unlike these people masquerading as ‘Rivers Elders and Leaders Forum’, genuine elders sit in position of neutrality when there are conflicts among younger ones so that they will enjoy credibility and respect while sitting on the high table to resolve the issues.
“When Fubara was orchestrating the burning and demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly, supposed elders like Ada George were hailing him. They were telling him it was normal for three members to run a House of Assembly of 32 members, with 11 as quorum of one-third that can sit and 22 as two-third that can pass budgets.
“When the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, intervened in the crisis and resolutions signed by all parties, it was this same Ada George that described the President’s intervention as ‘executive rascality.’
“He (Ada George) went further to say that the intervention by the President ‘contravened the doctrine and practice of separation of powers and unilaterally suspended the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’ They were everywhere calling the President a meddlesome interloper and hailing Fubara.
“Even when the Supreme Court ruled and made clear and unambiguous pronouncement, Ada George and his so-called elders still saw no reason they should tell Fubara to come down from his high horse of arrogance and lawlessness. Rather, they watched as he reeled out threats upon threats, including openly saying that he would give instructions as to what to do at the appropriate time.
“True to his threats, Fubara gave instructions and Nigerians saw the outcome when oil pipelines started coming up in flames.
“Now that Fubara’s lawlessness has resulted in the imposition of emergency rule, the same elders who failed to stand and act like real elders are sobbing like children whose most priced toys have been taken away. It is funny and unfortunate.
“They have even turned themselves to monitoring spirits, monitoring when Wike comes to Rivers State and when he leaves as if it has now become illegal for a Minister to visit his home-state and associate freely with the people.”
“The moment an elder takes side in a conflict between two children, such an elder has lost the rights to intervene and resolve the conflict,” Olayinka added, urging George and his Rivers Elders and Leaders Forum to blame themselves for choosing a side when they need to remain impartial.
