In the midst of a mounting political crisis in Rivers State, the former Rivers Governor and current Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has made a resounding statement about the importance of holding onto his political base to maintain his political relevance. The crisis revolves around the plot to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and Wike's words have added an intriguing dimension to the ongoing turmoil.
Receiving a delegation of South-South leaders at his office, Wike emphasized the critical nature of preserving one's political base. He declared that losing this base would render him politically irrelevant, no matter the challenges he may face. He remained resolute that he would not be swayed by any attempts to undermine his political standing and that the right course of action must prevail.
"All of us want to be politically relevant; all of us want to maintain our political structure," the minister stated. "Is it not your political structure? Will you allow anybody to just cut you out immediately? Everybody has a base. If you take my base, am I not politically irrelevant?"
The rift between Wike and Fubara has deepened as the Rivers State Assembly threatened to impeach the governor. Accusations have been made, with some pointing fingers at Wike as the mastermind behind the impeachment plot. The situation escalated further when a section of the Rivers Assembly Complex was engulfed in flames, leading to chaotic scenes on a Sunday night. Gunshots reverberated in the Assembly on Monday morning as principal officers were removed.
Governor Fubara alleged that he was shot at by the police during his visit to the damaged Assembly Complex. This incident is currently under investigation by the police.
Both Wike and Fubara belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, Wike emphasized that internal disputes are commonplace in politics and can be addressed using the party's mechanisms.
"In politics, there are a lot of internal wranglings," he acknowledged. "But to come out and say, 'Oh, they want to do this against me, it will not work.' I had every power then to say where this thing is going. So, when things are wrong, you ask questions. It is a party affair. The party knows how they resolve their own mechanism; it is not an ethnic affair."
Wike concluded by expressing confidence that their party would find a way to address and resolve the ongoing political turbulence in Rivers State, recognizing that every politician has their interes
