The battle for the control of Rivers state and it’s political leadership which erupted between the Executive Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara and his erstwhile god-father, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has worn a new complexion. They have taken the battle to neighbouring Bayelsa state and from the look of things, they have dragged the Bayelsa state governor, Senator Duoye Diri into their conflict. And if reports emerging from that part of thye region are anything to go by, the dust raised by the impending chaos could take a while to settle down.
It all started when the south-south zonal secretary of the PDP, George Turnah, and his group under the aegis of the New Associates, announced that they are organising a mega rally scheduled to be held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on April 12, in solidarity with President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. But the Bayelsa state governor, Senator Diri, has firmly kicked against the proposed rally and has demanded that the state security agencies should not let it hold. Political observers say that, with the suspended Rivers governor, Fubara, taking shelter in Bayelsa after a State of Emergency Rule was slammed on Rivers and he and his deputy suspended, it was no surprise to see that Governor Diri wants no part of the proposed rally in his state.
Governor Diri, though, mentioned none of that in his official statement. He explained that although his administration is not opposed to rallies in principle, it would be “unwise and counter-productive” to hold such an event at a time when peace efforts were underway to address the ongoing political crisis in neighboring Rivers State, which shares close ties with Bayelsa.
“We are not a government that goes against the rule of law,” Diri said. “We cherish and protect the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. However, as the chief security officer of this state, I must ensure the peace of Bayelsa is not disturbed by any external influence. Rivers and Bayelsa are sister states, and the situation in one affects the other.”
The governor stressed that a state of emergency has been declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, a decision that Bayelsa must respect.
He pointed out that the political climate in Rivers, which has been fraught with tension, could have a ripple effect on Bayelsa, and therefore any rally related to the crisis in Rivers could pose a security risk.
“Some people want to hold a mega rally here, but we are not yet in a political season,” Diri continued. “I am not stopping anyone from exercising their fundamental rights, but I must act in the best interest of our state. As the chief security officer, I have a duty to preserve peace, and we will not allow any activity that could destabilise our environment.” He added.
For those who have followed closely the relationship that once existed between the Bayelsa state governor and Nyesom Wike, this development would come as a big shock. This is because, not so long ago, the two gentlemen were thought to be friends and political allies. Both being PDP leaders from the south-south and from two neighbouring states for that matter, it was only natural that they would have some sort of cordial working relationship together. They attended some PDP meetings together, particularly meetings related to the party in the south-south. After a while, the rumour began to spread that that the relationship between the tweo had become strained and nobody could trace the actual cause of the conflict.
But it all came to a head months ago when the Bayelsa governor, Senator Diri, called for a meeting of south-south political leaders and excluded the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and some other leaders whom he felt were in support of Wike in his fight against his political god son, Fubara.
It was a visibly furious Wike, who not long ago, while speaking to the press, expressed his anger and frustration at the action of the Bayelsa governor whom he claimed once knelt down before him, begging for his political support.
Wike also criticised the Bayelsa governor, accusing him of lacking character.
The former governor suggested that Governor Diri is working in collaboration with his Rivers State counterpart, Siminalayi Fubara, against him and his supporters.
He said: “That’s why, when I look at people, I say character matters. You know, this Diri you’re talking about, go and ask the Minister of Petroleum, Senator Lokpobiri, who brought Diri to me. This governor you’re talking about—this is why I always say, character is something you cannot buy.
“Lokpobiri, the minister under the President, brought him with David Lyon. This governor, he was kneeling down, and I told him, ‘No, don’t do that, you’re a governor, don’t do that.’
“Today, he convenes a meeting of the South-South zone in his house, and the Minister of the FCT is not invited, the Zonal Committee is not invited, the senators are not invited, the National Assembly members are not invited. What kind of politics is this? Now look at how they are behaving,” said the visibly angry FCT Minister who, apparently, was displeased with the fact Senator Diri had pitched tent with Fubara.
According to political observers, the cracks in the wall of the Wike/Diri relationship began to manifest after it became obvious that the Wike led G-5 had delivered Rivers to APC at the 2023 presidential election. Diri could not align with the G-5 and needed to distance himself from the rampaging Wike who eventually secured a ministerial job as FCT Minister under the APC led government.
The Wike/Fubara war has divided not just Rivers indigenes but also outside Rivers. While multitudes of people stand by Wike, insisting he made Fubara governor when he stood no chance of being one if Wike had not forced him down the throat of the PDP stalwarts in the state, others sympathise with Fubara and believe Wike must allow him be his own man. And this same trend has continued in Bayelsa. Some of the indigenes are for Wike while others are for Fubara. Those who are for Wike want the proposed rally to hold while those who despise him are backing the governor to stop the rally from taking place.
But George Turnah has insisted it will go on despite the governor’s insistence that the rally should not hold.
Addressing a press conference on Friday in Abuja, one of the organisers and South-South Zonal Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, George Turnah, insisted that the court judgment did not affect the planned rally.
Turnah said contrary to insinuations in some quarters, the planned event being organised by a group under the aegis of New Associates, is not for the purposes which the court restrained. Rather, he explained that the event “is for the purpose of inaugurating a group called and known as the New Associates, Bayelsa State Chapter, and then to thank and appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing notable sons and daughters of Bayelsa State into positions of trust in the country.”
He said: “Our rally, as we have said and made public, is for the purpose of inaugurating a group called and known as the New Associates, Bayelsa State Chapter, and then to thank and appreciate President Bola Ahmed Thinibu for appointing notable sons and daughters of Bayelsa State into positions of trust in the country. That is the purpose. It is not the purpose that this court’s order captures.
“In fact, the purpose for which we want to hold our rally is not captured in this order. So if you look at the order, gathering, meeting, holding, organising, doing rally is not included in this order.
“And we are not going to do any rally for the purposes that the court has listed. So we are going ahead. We are going ahead.
“When you look at it (order), it’s just like saying ‘Don’t hold press conference in Cubana Hotel for the purpose of listening to George Turner.’ It doesn’t stop practitioners from holding press conference in Cubana for the purpose of listening to Jeremiah.
“Let me say it clearly, the purpose for which we planned our programme in Bayelsa State on the 12th is to inaugurate our group, the New Associate, and to hold a mega rally in solidarity and appreciation of Mr. President for his magnanimity towards the whole of Bayelsa State, particularly in appointing our sons and daughters into positions of trust. Of course, you know very certainly that the Head of Service of the Federation was appointed. And now a number of these appointments are facilitated by a friend of Bayelsa and a friend of the Ijaw people, which is Minister Nyesom Wike.
“So, while thanking Mr. President, we will also say thank you, Wike, for recommending and trusting that this class of persons can contribute to helping Mr. President deliver on his mandate,” he added.
He explained that “Wike, as of today, is not in our plans or programme to be in Bayelsa. We have not even extended invitations to Wike to come.”
It remains to be seen whether how the current face-off between Wike and Diri over the proposed will pan out but one thing is certain, the relationship between them may never be the same again. As it is, too much bitterness has been exchanged, too much animosity has been allowed to come between them. Only time can tell if they can possibly find themselves aligning together again…
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