The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has accused Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara of inciting violence in the State following the controversial Local Government elections held on October 5, 2024.
Wike’s statements came during an interview on Channels TV on Tuesday where he emphasized that Fubara disregarded a Federal High Court ruling that prohibited the elections due to procedural violations by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission regarding voter registration.
Wike said, “Who is the perpetrator of that violence? It is not about blaming, Governor (Siminalayi Fubara) is the architect of the violence.
“… If I know my supporters are linked to the violence I will condemn it.
“Governor (Fubara) said people don’t want to obey rule of law, law and order, what is law and order? What are people saying ‘obey court judgement’.
“All of you brought your case to the court, all of you brought your legal representation, your lawyers, Senior Advocates of Nigeria and the matter was argued and the court came up with judgement that ‘by my own view, by my own opinion, i think this is what is supposed to be done and therefore, I hereby say you should do this, you should do that’, fine! That’s court judgement. We want order.
“You heard the president, he said, ‘the judiciary can settle all political disputes’ and those who went to court what did they do? For judiciary to settle dispute. And you came out as a governor to say ‘No! This is a fraudulent judgement’, accusing judiciary of being fraudulent, ‘I will not o ey this judgement, I will not, I will go ahead and do what I’m going to do. In that case who is inviting violence? Who is inviting anarchy?
Court Judgement and Election Conduct
On September 30, 2024, Justice Peter Lifu ruled against RSIEC, barring the Independent National Electoral Commission from releasing the voter register necessary for the elections. This decision was based on RSIEC’s failure to comply with electoral laws, which require a 90-day notice before elections. Despite this ruling, RSIEC insisted on proceeding with the elections, citing constitutional mandates for local governance.
Fubara’s Defiance
Governor Fubara publicly rejected the court’s decision, labeling it as fraudulent and asserting that he would proceed with the elections regardless. His stance was supported by his administration, which argued that the elections were essential for restoring democratic governance in local councils.
Results and Post-Election Violence
The elections resulted in significant victories for opposition parties, especially the All Peoples Party, who won 22 out of 23 chairmanship seats, marking a shift in local political dynamics. However, post-election violence erupted amid accusations of electoral malpractice and intimidation. Wike condemned this violence, asserting that if his supporters were involved, he would denounce them.
Involvement of IGP Kayode Egbetokun
Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun was implicated in the controversy as security forces withdrew their support for the elections due to the court’s order. This withdrawal raised concerns about potential chaos during the electoral process.
Latest Developments
As tension escalates in Rivers State, Wike called for adherence to judicial rulings and criticized Fubara for inviting anarchy. He reiterated his commitment to upholding the rule of law and emphasized that true democracy requires respect for court decisions.
