Demolition: Don’t Set Rivers, Bayelsa on Fire, APC Chieftain Cautions Wike

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon Yekeni Nabena, has cautioned Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to desist from actions capable of setting the two sister states of Bayelsa and Rivers on fire.

He also blamed the face-off between Governor Duoye  Diri and Wike on the refusal of the Bayelsa governor to support Wike’s failed presidential ambition.

He said at the twilight of his eight years administration, Governor Wike could not afford to embark on actions whose consequences would generate bad blood between the good people and governments of both states

Speaking against the backdrop of a demolition order by Wike on two buildings belonging to Bayelsa state due to  Diri’s slowness at heeding the call to renovate the houses located in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Nabena warned that any wrong step could instigate bad blood within the Ijaw Nation.

While noting that fighting a whole state and the Ijaw nation because of their individual political ego is not tenable, the APC stalwart said both states have a history of good neighbourliness and warm relationships and these should not be tainted by the existing political differences between Wike and his Bayelsa counterpart.

 “As a Bayelsa son, I felt slighted and offended that Governor Wike is trying to rewrite history by redefining a long time relationship between Rivers state and Bayelsa state.

“The whole world is in the know of the political rivalry between Governor Wike and Governor Diri of Bayelsa state within their Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Such is not new in politics, but fighting a whole state and Ijaw Nation because of their individual political ego is way beyond comprehension.

“In 2019, when the going was good between the two governors, Wike even spearheaded the Supreme Court case against the APC. At that time, Wike did not think of demolishing Bayelsa state properties but because Governor Diri did not support Wike’s failed presidential ambition during PDP’s primary election, he has suddenly woken up and remembered that Bayelsa state properties are defacing an area in Port Harcourt. This is unacceptable.

“I will, therefore, call on Governor Wike to limit his dictatorship and political drunkenness to Rivers state. The Ijaw Nation will not tolerate disrespect, Bayelsa people will not bow to Wike’s god and as a state, Wike cannot force his political interest over us. Bayelsa is not Rivers.”