Tinubu Condemns Violence in Rivers, Orders IG to Secure LGA Offices

•Charges Fubara, other stakeholders to exercise restraint, uphold rule of law

•It’s irresponsible, gov declares, says he’d knelt for Wike many times for peace’s sake

•IGP instructs police commissioner to restore law and order

Deji Elumoye, James Emejo, Sunday Aborisade, Linus Aleke in Abuja, Segun James in Lagos and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, condemned in strong terms the ongoing violence in Rivers State over the outcome of the recent council elections, declaring that self-help has no place in a democracy.

Tinubu directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and other security agencies to secure the 23 local government areas in the state, following the outbreak of violence in which three council secretariats were set ablaze.

The president charged the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and other stakeholders in the state to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law.

In his reaction, Fubara described the burning of council facilities by suspected political thugs as irresponsible. He urged Rivers people to carry out their political business with all sense of responsibility.

The governor, who later spoke on Channels Television, also hinted at some of the peace moves he had made, including having to kneel for Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, many times in the overall interest of the state.

In obedience to the instructions of the president, the IGP ordered the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, to promptly rise to the occasion and restore law and order in the state.

But former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, asked the president to call the FCT minister to order to prevent anarchy in Rivers State.

That was as governors elected on the platform of PDP, yesterday, said they were proud of Fubara following his handling of the recent council elections in the state.

At the same time, elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, appealed to all residents of Rivers State to give peace a chance and allow democracy to flourish in the local government areas.

Responding to the tension in the state, the president, in a release by his adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, instructed law enforcement agencies to bring the situation under control. He emphasised the need to ensure the security of public institutions.

Tinubu expressed concern over reports of arson and explosions in the state and urged all political actors to de-escalate the situation and discourage their supporters from engaging in violence or destructive actions. 

According to the president, government facilities built with public funds must be safeguarded from vandalism. He stressed that self-help had no place in a democratic system, especially after 25 years of continuous democracy. 

Tinubu stressed that the judiciary could settle all political disputes, and the outcome of the local government poll should not be an exception. 

Fubara, who first spoke when he visited the Ikwerre Local Government Secretariat, in Isiokpo, to see the level of damage, said politics should not degenerate to the level of killings and destruction of government facilities built with tax payers’ money.

The governor had visited the site to assess the damage, upon arrival from Akwa Ibom State, where he had joined other South-south governors and members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to sympathise with Governor Umo Eno on the demise of his wife, Mrs Patience Umo Eno.

He expressed sadness over the incident at the council, questioning why the secretariat built by the immediate past chairman of the council, a legacy project, was being destroyed because of politics.

Fubara stated, “I am just coming in from Akwa Ibom where the governors of the South-south and also the Nigeria Governors’ Forum went to pay a condolence to our brother, the governor of Akwa Ibom, who lost his wife. So, I said it will be proper to come and see for myself the incident that took place in Ikwerre local government council secretariat.

“I feel very sad seeing what has just happened in this council. I want to say this to the entire Rivers State: if you are called upon, play your politics with a sense of responsibility. We don’t need to kill ourselves. My time will come, and I will leave. Do I need to burn the Government House?

“This council secretariat was built by the immediate past chairman, and for me, we know the history of this council, how he sought for fund, and how it was executed.

“This is supposed to be a legacy project for him that whoever that is going to come after now will continue to remember that at a certain time, certain persons built this for the LGA. But, look at what we are seeing here today. Must we go low in politics?”

Fubara expressed disappointment that sponsored agents and enemies of the state used the opportunity of the withdrawal of the police by the IGP to unleash terror on the councils.

Speaking on Channels Television, he expressed worry over Tinubu’s mention of his name alone in his statement on the destruction of local government secretariats in Rivers State.

Fubara said regarding the president’s intervention, “I do not have any issue with it, but I am a bit concerned when my name was only mentioned. The issue is very simple.

“It’s as simple as ABC, everyone in Nigeria, everyone in Rivers State knows where this issue is coming from. It’s not rocket science. We know what the issue is and the issue is not Fubara, it is not.

“I believe strongly that with the recent intervention of the Inspector General of Police, maybe we will have a breathing space.

“Maybe as a result of him pulling his men out of those secretariats, might be one of the reasons they (hoodlums) took advantage of the situation.

“But I will appeal that while the men are there, the elected officers should have the opportunity to do their work, at least, let them provide security for them, which was even what I was thinking of.

“I was never of the opinion that the police should pull out completely. No. When they said they were moving out, it was what allowed these miscreants to take advantage of the secretariats to destroy them.”

He urged Wike to let go of any grip he desired to have on Rivers State and allow peace to reign in the oil-rich state.

The governor added, “I have all the guts to do these things. There is nothing that I have not done on this earth for peace to reign. I can tell you the number of times I have knelt to beg to allow this issue to go.”

The governor said he had kept all “understanding” he had with the FCT minister to ensure peace in the state, but the issue had continued to escalate.

“There is nothing I have not done on this earth for peace to reign. I can tell you the number of times I have knelt to beg that let’s allow this issue to go. I have done everything,” Fubara said.

Asked what he would tell Wike if they were to meet, Fubara said, “I’ll tell him that it has gotten to a point where he needs to let go. We need peace in this state.

 “You don’t necessarily need to win all the fights. At times, you just let go for the sake of the good people of Rivers State and the love that you have always professed for the state. We need to secure the state.

“Fubara will leave tomorrow. Who knows who is going to come? It might be through him or another person, but we need to secure the state.”

The governor said election was over and it was time for governance, urging the FCT minister to give peace a chance.

He stated, “What I am appealing is: everyone should sheathe their swords. Even to the minister, my oga (my boss), there is no need to destroy this state.

“He once ruled this state and the state was an envy of every other state. Another person is there now, what we need now is the support, after four years or eight years, who knows? I will also leave and someone else will take over. That should be the spirit.

“When it comes to the election period, you can fight and do whatever but now is the time for governance. We need all the support.”

Fubara said all Nigerians knew that he had no hand in the destruction of local government secretariats. He stated that he sounded the alarm on Sunday evening when he swore in 23 newly elected council chairpersons in the state that some aggrieved political actors had mobilised to destabilise the state from Monday.

IGP Orders Police Commissioner to Restore Law, Order

The IGP ordered the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State to rise to the occasion and restore law and order in the state.

Egbetokun gave the order following the spate of violent confrontations and attacks at some local government secretariats, leading to destruction of government facilities in the state immediately after the unsealing of the secretariats.

He emphasised the police’s commitment to maintaining law and order, upholding democratic principles, and fostering peace, unity, and progress across the country.

A statement by Force Public Relations Officer (PRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the IGP gave the order while directing the immediate unsealing of all local government secretariats in Rivers State.

The local government offices had been sealed by the police following violent disagreements between the former elected chairmen, whose tenure had expired, and caretaker council chairmen inaugurated by the state government over control of the secretariats.

The matter is still pending in court.

Adejobi explained that the unsealing of the secretariats took place on October 6 after the police received the report that elected chairmen had been sworn in by the state government.

He stated that the decision to unseal the secretariats was informed by the need to maintain neutrality in the political development in the state and allow smooth functioning of democratic institutions.

Earlier, yesterday, suspected hoodlums set ablaze sections of Emohua, Eleme and Ikwerre local government secretariats.

The mob invaded the Emohua secretariat after David Omereji, the newly elected chairman, his deputy, and councillors were sworn in on Sunday.

After the ceremony, hoodlums invaded many Rivers State council secretariats to cause destruction and prevent the newly elected officials from resuming their duties.

Some of the newly elected chairpersons and councillors arrived at their new offices to the sight of thick black smoke billowing from the buildings.

At Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, hoodlums invaded the secretariat and started shooting sporadically to scare away workers. They were reportedly repelled by armed police officers.

The destruction came hours after Egbetokun ordered the immediate withdrawal of police personnel from the secretariats of the 23 local government areas of the state.

Police spokesperson in Rivers, Grace Iringe-Koko, who announced the development, said the IGP’s directive “is in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions”.

Fubara had on Sunday sworn in the 23 newly elected local government chairpersons. Action Peoples Party (APP), which was believed to be supported by the governor, despite maintaining his membership of PDP, won Saturday’s election in 22 local government areas, while Action Alliance (AA) was victorious in one council area.

Fubara’s loyalists had joined APP to secure the party’s tickets to contest the election.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, Fubara said there were plans to perpetrate violence against the elected officials.

The crisis in the state is widely believed to be directly connected to the feud between Fubara and Wike.

The build-up to the Rivers council elections was trailed by controversy, which was exacerbated by conflicting court orders and pushback from All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP.

George to Tinubu: Call Wike to Order

Former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, Tinubu to call Wike to order to prevent anarchy in Rivers State.

George warned Wike to allow Fubara to work and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people, saying one man’s ambition must not be allowed to derail democracy in the country.

In a statement he personally signed, George said, “I say this with all sense of responsibility because if this democracy is truncated, God forbid, Tinubu, as the Commander-in-Chief, will be the biggest loser.

“All lovers of democracy will agree with me that political happenings in this oil-bearing state in the last few months, if allowed to continue, can lead to a re-enactment of the crisis in the defunct Western Region between 1962 and 1966, which eventually led to the first military coup of January 15, 1966.

“Many of our national figures were killed and events of that day led to a second coup on July 29, 1966, when scores of military officers were killed.

“Since history is no longer taught in our schools, I want to remind the gladiators in this Rivers crisis that the January and July 1966 killings eventually led to the civil war between July 6, 1967 and January 15, 1970. Close to two million Nigerians died in the war.

“I am raising this alarm because what is happening in Rivers now is a cause for serious concern for everyone. My understanding of this man-made crisis is that there is a despotic, divisive, wicked and anti-people design to create a conflagration, which may eventually consume our country.

“We all know the economic importance of Rivers to the survival of this nation. It is the gateway to the Niger Delta. Any threat to peace in this state will eventually lead to huge security implications, not only for Nigeria but West Africa and Africa.

“It is good to have political ambition, to be the alpha and omega in a partisan setting but this ambition must not be at variance with the expectations of the people.

“Some have said what is happening can be traced to 2027 elections’ calculations. I believe it is too early to start strategising for a partisan event, which is still close to 28 months away.”

Fubara is Our Pride, Say PDP Governors

Governors elected on the platform of PDP described Fubara as their pride.

Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed, made the assertion during a visit to Rivers State to witness the swearing-in of the newly elected council chairmen in the state, held at Government House, Port Harcourt.

Mohammed said Fubara had proven himself a true democrat, who against all odds, pushed through with decisions and actions to deepen democracy.

He praised Fubara for being proactive and an open minded, and deploying his democratic instincts and strategies to carefully deliver democratic governance at the local government level, irrespective of party allegiance or consideration.

Mohammed affirmed that Rivers State was a PDP State, even if the just sworn-in local government chairmen and councillors were of different political parties.

He bemoaned the situation, describing it as the problem that they found themselves in, both as a party and as governors.

Mohammed said Fubara, who is Vice Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, was still an avowed member of PDP, despite the fact that other parties constituted the body of elected officers at the local government level.

Clark Hails LG Polls Outcome, Seeks Peace

Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, appealed to all residents of Rivers State to give peace a chance and allow democracy to flourish at the local government areas.

Clark, in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists in Abuja, commended Tinubu and Fubara for ensuring peaceful conduct of the council polls held on Saturday.

He pledged to continually support plans to entrench democracy at the grassroots levels in order to bring democracy closer to the masses.

Clark stated, “I join millions of Nigerians and the good people of Rivers State to thank God for the very successful, transparent, and peaceful local government elections that took place in Rivers State on Saturday, 5th October 2024.

“I am particularly glad that the citizens of the state turned out in large numbers to exercise their right to vote.

“This achievement, despite the deliberate boycott of the police from participating in the elections, demonstrates that the people of Rivers State, and indeed, Nigerians as a whole, are mature and patriotic enough to conduct elections and manage their affairs without interference from the police.

“This is a significant and commendable development because there has never been any election, be it presidential, state, or local government, where the security agencies, particularly the police, were not involved, with significant amounts of public funds expended.

“The fact that a state-wide local government election can be conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner without the loss of lives and destruction of property is a remarkable experience.”