Rivers Crisis: ‘I Knelt Countless Times To Beg Wike’

Amid the escalating crisis in River State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has said that he has knelt unnumbered times to appeal to his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to allow peace to reign in the state.

Fubara, who said he had no regret after conducting local government elections across the state last Saturday amid opposition from Wike’s loyalists, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), said he had humbly approached Wike in a gesture of reconciliation.

The governor expressed that he had made every effort to maintain a cooperative relationship with his predecessor in the interest of fostering peace within the state, yet these efforts did not yield the desired results.

“There is nothing I have not done on this earth for peace to reign. I can tell you the number of times I have knelt to beg that let’s allow this issue to go. I have done everything,” the Governor said on Monday, October 7, during an appearance on Channels Television’s program, Politics Today.

The ongoing political tensions between Fubara and Wike escalated significantly as the state held local council elections over the weekend.

In spite of the withdrawal of the PDP, APC, and police from the electoral process, the governor moved forward with the elections on Saturday.

On Monday, following the swearing-in of 22 winners from the contentious local government elections, the state descended into turmoil.

Violent confrontations broke out in at least four local government areas, with thugs setting parts of buildings ablaze in Eleme, Ikwerre, and Emohua council offices.

Additionally, sporadic gunfire was reported in Ahoada East as a form of resistance against the newly appointed council officials.

This unrest occurred after police officers, who were meant to secure the 23 council premises, were withdrawn as per the directive of the commissioner of police.