How Pro-Wike Forces Plan To Drown Echoes Of Fubara’s One Year Celebration
By PHC Telegraph
If everything goes according to plan, the people of Rivers State, victims of a needless political crisis, are expected to witness an upswing in the number of carefully orchestrated solidarity matches.
They are to be sponsored by members of the political cartel that has been behind various acts which are fueling tension in Rivers State.
Fubara had infuriated members of the cartel as a result of his refusal to take orders from a godfather who is accused by Rivers people of trying to allegedly govern the State by proxy.
As part of the plan conceived at a recent meeting attended by the strategic arm of the group dominated by Abuja based politicians, the solidarity matches which would declare support for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike will take place in different parts of the State.
The aim, from what we have heard, is to subtly replace joyous moments that Rivers people are hoping to share; a celebration that the Government of the day is planning to flag off on the 14th of this month; with chants of Wike across the State.
And possibly, set the stage for a bitter clash that may somehow spread like a bush fire on the streets, if Fubara’s supporters who have maintained a peaceful disposition are provoked sufficiently to a point where they are forced to react.
Already, a solidarity match promoted a few weeks ago on the internet held successfully in Okrika Local Government Area, and the big plan from what we have heard is to dominate the political space within the 20-day period that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is hoping to celebrate the anniversary of his administration’s first year in office.
Thus far, the pro-Wike group has been able to re-enact the impeachment threat, used the factional House of Assembly controlled by it to amend State laws and pass them by overriding the veto of the Governor, and got local council chairmen who are working with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to support the impeachment of Fubara under the aegis of ALGON.
They have equally been sabotaging work at project sites. Governor Siminalayi Fubara has since acknowledged this fact in public
According to information pieced together by this publication, the meeting held in the federal capital which reviewed the group’s activities agreed that its members have overtly succeeded in luring Fubara to make certain remarks that have become the subject of great controversy and deliberate misrepresentation.
Wike’s supporters are leveraging on this, describing Fubara in the process as a wicked dictator who is beginning to bare his fangs.
In the meantime, leaders of the Wike movement have purportedly taken dates for solidarity matches that are expected to take place in their Local Government Areas.
From what we have gathered, the climax of the veiled plot would be the arrival in Port Harcourt of Wike and his top hands from Abuja.
Their presence in the State would take the show of strength to newer heights as the Minister armed with power, influence and his legendary financial warchest swiftly moves to drown voices of people who are backing his successor.
From all indications, if the Wike team goes ahead with the plan to sponsor solidarity matches in the midst of an ongoing event put together by the Rivers State Government there may be security threats.
There are hints that money purportedly meant for the mobilization of sympathisers who are allied to Wike are reportedly flowing into the State.
Council chairmen who say they are going nowhere when their tenure in office expires, and others who are benefitting from Wike’s political empire would likely cough out some more funds in support of the plan to destabilize the Fubara administration.
Our information suggests that footsoldiers in the grassroots loyal to Wike are allegedly being placed on notice while arrangements to secure buses ahead of time are going on.
Will Wike and his supporters go ahead now that the plan has leaked or would they turn tail and run?
Only time will tell. But ordinary Rivers people, many analysts say, will be the ones to suffer if the feud between the two giants at war continue with their ongoing fight for supremacy.
Presidency Vows To Remain Neutral:
While the plan to undermine the Fubara administration by the Abuja group goes on, Rivers people worried by the wave of tension that has enveloped their State got cheering news.
The Presidency which vowed neutrality said it would not allow anyone to destabilize the administration of Governor Fubara.
Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesmen who hails from Rivers State said Tinubu would remain completely non aligned.
The implication, observers say. is that instruments of state power, including security outfits, would not be used in any way that may suggest that they are being partisan.
Recall that he had earlier brokered peace in the war-torn state, but the eight-point peace plan may have been tossed into the rubbish bin.