Bode George urges Tinubu to call Wike to order

On Monday, Chief Bode George, the former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), called for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to allow Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to govern the state without interference.

In a statement, George also urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and advise Wike to stop meddling in Rivers State affairs, following concerns over the political tension in the state. He warned that continued interference could have serious consequences for the country’s democracy.

George emphasized the importance of stability in Rivers State, noting that the people have exercised their civic rights by participating in the local government elections. He urged Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, to step back and allow Governor Fubara to focus on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

“This is also the time for President Bola Tinubu to advise Wike, one of his ministers, to allow Governor Fubara to work,” George said. “I say this with all sense of responsibility because if this democracy is truncated, Tinubu, as the Commander-in-Chief, will be the biggest loser.”

Drawing parallels with the political unrest of the 1960s, George warned that the ongoing power struggle could lead to a crisis similar to the one that triggered the Western Region political conflict between 1962 and 1966, which eventually culminated in the first military coup of January 15, 1966.

“I want to remind the gladiators in this Rivers crisis that the killings in January and July 1966 eventually led to the Nigerian Civil War from July 6, 1967 to January 15, 1970. Close to two million Nigerians died in that war,” George warned, stressing that the current situation in Rivers is cause for serious national concern.

George highlighted Rivers State’s economic importance as the gateway to the Niger Delta, adding that any threat to peace in the state could have major security implications for Nigeria, West Africa, and the African continent as a whole.

While acknowledging political ambitions are natural, George advised that such goals should not be pursued at the expense of good governance or the will of the people. He urged those focused on the 2027 elections to remember that the people of Rivers State will ultimately decide who leads them.

“Nyesom Wike was governor for eight years. He left office in May last year and is now the FCT Minister. His predecessors, Peter Odili and Rotimi Amaechi, also served their time as governors. Now that Fubara is in office, he should be allowed to work. Nobody stays in power forever,” George added.

He concluded by appealing to Wike and others involved in the political turmoil to give peace a chance, and called on President Tinubu to take action to prevent the situation from escalating.

“Tinubu must call Wike and tell him to allow the governor to work,” George stated.