The federal government on Wednesday, December 13, refuted an insinuation that it had a hand the escalating political situation in Rivers state, saying what is happening in the state is not its creation.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who was responding to a question on what the federal government’s perspective on the situation was, said the President Bola Tinubu administration is interested in the peace and well-being of all the states, including Rivers.
The political situation in Rivers state, especially in the capital, Port Harcourt, became more tensed in last few hours, following further polarisation of the State House of Assembly, which had been divided between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
On Monday 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who are loyal to the Minister of the FCT, Wike, decamped from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which is the ruling party in the state, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a Rivers State High Court, in Port Harcourt, declared Edison Ehie, a loyalist of Governor Fubara, as Speaker of the Assembly and on Wednesday, the Assembly Complex was demolished.
However, responding to the query on the federal government’s position, Idris said though a party in the crisis, Chief Wike, is a member of the Cabinet, the crisis has nothing to do with the federal government, neither is it the central government’s position.
Asked whether the federal government shared Wike’s position on the matter as a member of the federal cabinet, the Information Minister said: “Well, he is a federal cabinet member; he is involved in the situation in the state. That cannot be a federal government position. How can it be the federal government’s position?
“Well, the federal government is always interested in the well being of all the states, and in that direction the federal government will always align with everyone in Nigeria to make sure that there is peace and tranquility in all parts of this country.
“But you know that what has happened in Rivers is not a creation of the federal government. It is a political problem that is brewing in the state.
“Of course, the government will ensure that there is peace and stability for all Nigerians, including River State, but you can’t say that this is a creation of the federal government. The federal government never had any hand in creating that problem”, he said.
On the allegation raised by Asari Dokubo, accusing President Bola TInubu of ignoring the festering crisis in Rivers State, the government’s spokesman noted that what the leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force said is only advisory.
He said: “I saw Asari Dokubo’s message. It was an advisory. He made an advisory and when you make an advisory, you allow time to see whether the person you have given the advice will look at it again and come back to you.
“That does not suggest anything. That doesn’t suggest that the federal government created that problem. It was never a creation of the federal government. It is a creation of the political situation in River state.”