An elder statesman in Rivers State, Kingsley Wenenda Wali, has urged residents of the state to remain calm and not allow emotions to overtake reason amid the renewed political disagreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Wali described the developments in the state as “just politics,” noting that such disagreements are common wherever politicians compete for power.
He said the dispute between Fubara and Wike reflects a struggle between two political actors who jointly acquired power but are now divided over the terms of that acquisition.
According to Wali, the situation should not be interpreted as a sign that Rivers State is failing.
However, he expressed concern over the agreement allegedly reached between the governor and the FCT minister before the 2023 governorship election, noting that the continued refusal of both men to disclose the terms has made it difficult for Rivers people to fully understand the basis of the disagreement.
He said only when the details of such an agreement are made public can people form informed opinions about who may have acted in bad faith.
“What is happening in Rivers State is nothing but politics, and I don’t think people should bother too much about the antics of politicians,” Wali said.
He added, “Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the FCT Minister sat down and reached an agreement. My concern is that neither Fubara nor Wike has come out to tell us exactly what they agreed on.
“If we understand the terms of their discussions, then we will be in a better position to properly assess and discuss the disagreement.
“I do not think it is expected of me, as someone who was not part of the discussion, to make definitive statements about people who are quarrelling over the spoils of their heist.”
Wali maintained that it is unfair for anyone to enter into a political agreement and later renege on it while still expecting public sympathy.
He added that if such an agreement does not serve the interest of Rivers people, the affected party has a moral responsibility to acknowledge it and take steps to correct it.
“What did they agree on? Was it in the best interest of Rivers people?” he asked. “I don’t think it is fair to engage in a conversation with someone, renege on it, and then assume that all is fair and good.”
In this context, Wali referenced former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who openly admitted that the election that brought him to power was flawed and pledged to reform the electoral process.
He also criticised attempts to portray the current governor as blameless, arguing that no one can benefit from the excesses of a previous administration and later expect to be seen as innocent.
Wali recalled how supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the former party of the governor, allegedly camped for weeks at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to prevent the 2023 All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, from obtaining certified true copies of election materials for his legal challenge.
According to him, benefiting from such actions and later claiming moral superiority amounts to hypocrisy.
“You cannot benefit from fraud and then expect me to describe you as an angel,” Wali said.
“After the elections, people camped in front of INEC to stop Tonye Cole from obtaining verified election documents. How can we forget all of that? You benefit from that process and then come to tell me you are an angel. No, you are not.”
Wali urged Rivers people to critically examine both pre-election and post-election activities and to ask whether they truly stood up for the long-term interest of the state.
He further noted that Rivers people have, over time, become accustomed to political oppression and mismanagement, describing the current situation as “nothing new”.
He concluded that the disagreement between the governor and the FCT minister would resolve itself, insisting it remains a political issue and not a crisis that should divide Rivers people.
