An elder statesman in Rivers State, Kingsley Wenenda Wali, has urged the residents of the state to remain calm and not let emotions cloud their judgment amid the renewed political tension between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Wali, in a statement on Friday, described the political rift as “just politics” and emphasised that such disagreements are common in any democracy, especially where politicians are competing for power.
He noted that the dispute between Fubara and Wike was a reflection of a deeper power struggle between two political figures who once joined forces but are now divided over the terms of that shared power.
According to Wali, the current political disagreements should not be viewed as a sign of failure in Rivers State. However, he expressed concerns over the details of the alleged agreement between the two leaders prior to the 2023 governorship election, which, according to him, remains shrouded in secrecy.
“The situation is purely political, and people should not get too caught up in the drama. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike had an agreement. My concern is that neither of them has come forward to tell the public exactly what they agreed upon,” Wali said.
He stressed that only by making the details of their pre-election agreement public can Rivers residents fully understand the roots of the disagreement and form an informed opinion about who may have acted in bad faith.
Wali expressed that the secrecy surrounding the terms of the agreement is hindering the public’s ability to assess the situation properly.
“If we knew what they agreed upon, we could better understand the disagreement. I am not part of their discussions, and I am not in a position to make definitive statements about what transpired between them,” he added.
Wali also pointed out that it is unfair for anyone to enter into a political agreement, only to later renege on it and expect public sympathy.
“If the agreement doesn’t serve the interests of the people, the party that has backed out must be honest and take corrective measures,” he stated.
Drawing a parallel to former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who acknowledged the flaws in the election that brought him into power and promised reforms, Wali criticised the tendency to portray Fubara as blameless in the current situation. He emphasised that benefiting from the excesses of a previous administration and later claiming moral superiority is hypocrisy.
Wali recalled how supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Fubara’s former party, allegedly prevented Tonye Cole, the 2023 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, from obtaining certified copies of election materials for his legal challenge. He pointed out that benefiting from such actions only to later claim innocence was contradictory.
He questioned, “You can’t benefit from fraud and then expect me to call you an angel. After the election, people camped in front of INEC to prevent Tonye Cole from obtaining verified election documents. How can we forget that?
“You benefit from that process and then come to tell me you are an angel. No, you are not.”
Wali urged the people of Rivers to critically examine the events surrounding both the pre-election and post-election periods, asking if these actions truly served the long-term interests of the state.
He further noted that Rivers residents have, over time, become accustomed to political oppression and mismanagement, stating that the current crisis is not something new. He expressed confidence that the disagreement between Fubara and Wike would eventually resolve itself, stressing that it was merely a political issue and not a crisis that should divide the people of Rivers State.
Wali’s call for calm and transparency comes at a critical time, as political tensions in Rivers State are escalating, and his emphasis on unity and understanding could play a crucial role in fostering a peaceful resolution.