Fubara, Wike’s Allies Reacts To Appointments Of Administrator, Ibas In Rivers

Allies of the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, have voiced strong opposition to the recent appointments made by the Sole Administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.), describing them as “lopsided” and politically motivated.

Both factions loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Fubara have argued that many of the new appointees had previously worked together before the political crisis in the state, further deepening divisions.

On Thursday, Ibas announced the appointment of administrators for the 23 local government areas (LGAs) of the state to oversee council affairs.

In addition, new appointments were made to key positions, including the chairman and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), as well as the chairmen and members of the Civil Service Commission and Local Government Service Commission.

However, the appointments were met with resistance from Fubara’s loyalists, who accused Ibas of exacerbating the already tense political crisis in the state.

A group, Initiative for Transparency, Strategy, and Good Leadership, has strongly condemned the appointments, alleging that all individuals appointed to the 23 LGAs are loyalists of Minister Nyesom Wike.

Naija News reports that the group further claimed that the appointees to the Civil Service Commission and the Local Government Service Commission were also aligned with Wike.

The President-General of the group, Chizi Enyi, spoke out during a press briefing in Port Harcourt, criticizing the process as “unconstitutional” and suggesting that Wike’s recent visit to the state may have influenced Ibas’ decision-making.

Enyi said, “Since assuming office, he [Ibas] has not called the political gladiators to seek peace. Instead, he has resorted to appointing people into offices under suspicious circumstances.”

He went on to call on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, urging that the sole administrator be cautioned for further destabilizing the state.

Rivers Emancipation Movement Warns Of Mass Action

The Rivers Emancipation Movement also expressed concerns over Ibas’ lack of neutrality in his appointments. The group warned that if Ibas did not reverse the appointments, they would resort to mass action to demonstrate their discontent.

In an interview, the National President of the Rivers Emancipation Movement, Solomon Tamunotonye, explained, “For instance, the sole administrator of Port Harcourt City LGA is a well-known loyalist and follower of Wike, and the same applies to almost all the LGAs. This clearly demonstrates a lack of impartiality and fuels further division.

“What is expected from the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), is neutrality. There are many people who can manage the local governments if he truly intends to conduct a transition.

“It is an illegal appointment as far as we are concerned. But even if he insists on carrying out a transition at the local government level, there are neutral and eminently qualified sons and daughters of Rivers State.

“They can be found across the state’s universities and in the civil service. You cannot have one party to a conflict elevated into positions of authority and expect the other party to feel fairly treated.”

He noted that the pattern of appointments had worsened the crisis in the state.

Similarly, the Special Adviser to Governor Fubara on Electronic Media, Jerry Omatsogunwa, maintained that the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State was based on falsehoods.

Omatsogunwa said, “I am deeply disappointed in a man who claims to have come here to make peace but is instead trying to create more problems. Look at the situation. Shall I go back to the peace pact? It was clearly tilted in one direction, perhaps in favour of the FCT minister and his group.

“Even in court, I don’t want to criticise the judiciary, but the outcome mirrored the eight-point agenda set out by the President.

“Now, the sole administrator has arrived, and you also know that this entire arrangement is unwarranted. People are dying in Plateau State in large numbers. There are ongoing communal clashes in Osun State. People are being killed across the country due to kidnappings. Yet, no state of emergency has been declared.”

Omatsogunwa further alleged that the ongoing developments in the state were part of a plan by the ruling All Progressives Congress to capture the state.

“Why is it that only Rivers State is facing such turmoil? And the President isn’t helping matters. When he was governor of Lagos State, would he have allowed anyone to treat him like this? Even when he had issues with Akinwunmi Ambode after leaving office, did he burn down Lagos to remove Ambode? So why all this? Must Rivers State be destroyed because someone is interested in it? It makes no sense at all,” he added.

Wike’s Ally Reacts To Ibas’s Appointments

Meanwhile, an ally of the FCT minister, Chimene Wodi, said some of the appointees were retired civil servants.

In an interview with Punch, he maintained that President Tinubu’s actions became necessary following Fubara’s alleged failure to abide by the agreement reached during the meeting between the President and the warring parties.

Wodi, also a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, dismissed rumours that the recent appointments by the sole administrator were biased and favoured Wike.

He said, “Some of us may not be privy to security information. The President has all it takes, and I am sure he’s being briefed daily. He intervened and called the suspended governor. There was an eight-point agenda. Both parties went there and signed. Elders on both sides were all present. What happened? When the governor returned, he said it was not his will. In fact, they can’t use a political solution; what they need is a constitutional solution.

“And what is going on today, when you say constitution, the Supreme Court delivered a profound judgment for the first time, and we saw the standard of that judgment. It was clearly stated that there is no governance in Rivers State. We are talking about the Supreme Court, the highest court of the land. When you go by virtue of the judicature, when you look at the Judicature Act, of course, you can’t appeal anywhere, so long as the pronouncement of the Supreme Court judgment is final.

“And what happened? The suspended governor came back home, and those who never wanted peace in this state told him to cherry-pick the judgments. We had expected that he would have written to the Assembly himself, not through the SSG, or even through phone calls. We didn’t see the exercise of humility. Of course, these are the same Assembly members he has kept hungry for quite some months. What do you expect? Most of the letters he wrote, according to him, were not received and were not sent directly; they were posted on social media. I was asking, is this effective service? That is not effective service by law.

“When you say state of emergency, the question you should be asking is if it’s appropriate. It is appropriate.”

Wodi also maintained that the sole administrator was working in collaboration with the President and the National Assembly.

He particularly emphasised that those appointed by the sole administrator were neutral civil servants.

Wodi said, “And remember, when the sole administrator was appointed, he convened a meeting attended by individuals of timber and calibre, retired civil servants who were privileged to be present.

“Bear this in mind: in a state of emergency, the Sole Administrator can go as far as necessary, because at that point, the constitution is suspended. But as it stands, we are operating under democratic rules.

“Still, he is working in tandem with the President, the National Assembly. He does not act alone; he works with them. So, he is not operating in isolation and must do what is proper. It may not be strictly constitutional, but it is the right course of action. And who are these people?

“These individuals are not even part of any camp. I am a member of the PDP, and I have not seen them at state meetings. I am also a stakeholder in the state. So, when you refer to these people, go and examine the names within the civil service; these are neutral individuals who cannot be easily influenced.”