A town hall meeting in Port Harcourt on Friday descended into chaos as supporters of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and those of suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara clashed. The meeting, which aimed to address the state’s political crisis, saw attendees from both sides and other Rivers residents expressing their views.
Trouble began when Bright Amaewhule, the President General of Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), credited GDI with Fubara’s election, claiming, “there’s no indigene of Rivers State that will not recognize the role GDI played in the emergence of Sim Fubara as governor of Rivers State.
Before the campaign proper, we moved Sim from one local government to another, not the honorable minister… GDI was the group that propelled Sim into being accepted by the people of Rivers State even when he was rejected by the people who claim to be his brothers and sisters… Even when those who now came around him after he had become governor, asking him not to listen to any other person, asking him not to be loyal to the political party that brought him. These were the problems.” In response, Hilda Dokubo, the Rivers Labor Party Chairman, walked out, stating, “I can’t sit here and listen to this.” Though she later returned, the tension remained.
Kenwell Ibanibo, another speaker, questioned the rationale behind the impeachment attempt against Fubara, asking, “I’ve heard the GDI Chairman say they supported Sim Fubara to become governor, but I’m asking you what did he do to warrant the 1st impeachment attempt after just 5 months? The point is somebody somewhere who thinks he’s the owner of Rivers state, took this position and influenced the impeachment.” This sparked a heated confrontation with Wike’s supporters, led by Chibike Ikenga, the factional Rivers APC Chairman.
The Verbal exchanges escalated, with a Wike supporter heard shouting “insult Wike now! Una go still beg, una go still come lie down. Person wey lie down never stand up una Dey talk!” To which the now returned Hilda Dokubo fired back “Him no go lie down! I say him no go lie down! No be Wike lie down for somewhere so!?” The anchor and other attendees, including Jake Epelle, attempted to restore order, and bouncers positioned themselves strategically. Ibanibo eventually volunteered to temporarily leave the stage for peace to reign.
Later, Niger Delta activist Ann-Kio Briggs had a terse exchange with Ikenga, firmly telling him, “I don’t know when you spoke, but I did not interrupt you, please leave me, let me be. If I don’t speak for you, I speak for myself.”