President Bola Tinubu, must avoid the pitfalls that to the bloody coup that truncated the first republic by immediately halting the current conflagration going on in Rivers State, following last Saturday’s elections that produced new executive leaderships for the 23 local government areas in Rivers State.

The admonition came from Olabode George, a retired soldier and former Military Governor of Ondo State, as he weighed into the crisis, following reports of massive violence in the oil-rich state, including the burning down of some local government headquarters by hoodlums.

George, Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), palpably disturbed by the development, particularly urged the President to call Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), fingered as key figure in the crisis to order before he plunged the state into further cataclysm, which could eventually affect the nation’s democracy negatively.

The retired naval officer, told the President: “Now that people of Rivers State have boldly asserted their civic and constitutional rights by coming out to vote in the local government election on Saturday, this is the time for the former governor of the state and now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to allow Governor Siminalayi Fubara to work and deliver dividends of democracy to the people.

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“This is also the time for President Bola Tinubu to advise Wike, who is one of his ministers, to allow the governor to work. 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.”

He added: “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’m raising the alarm about what is currently happening in Rivers due to its seriousness. This is a man-made crisis, designed to create a conflagration that may eventually consume the country due to the economic importance of Rivers to the survival of this nation and being the gateway to the Niger Delta.

“It is good to have political ambition, to be the alpha and omega in a partisan setting, but such ambition must not be at variance with the expectations of the people. Any threat to peace in Rivers State will eventually lead to huge security implications, not only for Nigeria but West Africa and Africa.

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

“One thing is clear: Nyesom Wike was governor of the state for eight years. He left the Government House in May last year, and today he is the FCT Minister. Sir Peter Odili and Rotimi Amaechi were governors before him. Now that Governor Fubara is the Chief Executive of the state, he should be allowed to work. Nobody stays in office forever.

“By 2027, the people of Rivers State will decide, through their votes, if they want him to return to office or not. This is how political issues and ambitions are handled in civilised climes. The way this partisan crisis is going, if not checked, may collapse our democracy. Now that council chairmen and councillors have been elected, I appeal to Nyesom Wike to please give peace a chance.

“Tinubu must also call Wike and tell him to allow the governor to work. It is that Wike sponsored and supported Fubara to become governor, but somebody also supported Wike to be governor from 2015 to 2023, while somebody also nominated him to serve as minister. God will always use somebody to help anybody, but nobody is God.

“I recall years ago, I had to travel all over the country to canvass for votes when I wanted to be the PDP National Chairman, only to discover that there was a gang-up against me a few days before the party’s convention, leading to my withdrawal from the race. Wike, Uche Secondus, who eventually became the party chairman, some senators, and others came to my Abuja house to beg me. What I did was to ask Rev. Bunmi Jenyo, who was in my house that day, to pray for them. Since then, I have not left the party. That is the way I play my politics because nobody is God.

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“It is because of this crisis in Rivers that the PDP lost out in the October 5 council elections because we didn’t field candidates. Elders in our party should also advise Wike on the way forward. Look at what happened during the September 21 governorship election in Edo State. The exercise was brazenly manipulated, and this is because some of our members allowed it to happen. Inordinate ambition is affecting some of our people.

“I am appealing to Wike to please let this crisis be a thing of the past. The democracy we enjoy today, many people suffered to bring it to fruition. Some even died. We should not be seen dancing on their graves because of partisan interests. Only God knows what will happen in 2027 because He is greater, wiser, and more powerful than all of us.”

Calling on Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to call some judicial officers to order, expressing disgust concerning conflicting court rulings on the recently held council election in Rivers State, he wondered how courts of the same jurisdiction, having the same powers, could be giving conflicting orders on a similar suit, adding judiciary must remain above board as the last hope of the common man.

“This is also the time for the new Chief Justice of Nigeria to call some judicial officers to order. A High Court in Rivers gave an order that the council election must hold. A Federal High Court in faraway Abuja gave another order that security agents must not provide security during the election. How can courts of the same jurisdiction, having the same powers, be giving conflicting orders on a similar suit?

“Judges should not allow politicians to influence them to be giving conflicting judgements. As the last hope of the common man, the judiciary should be above board. Once again, I am appealing to Wike to look at the larger interests in this crisis. He should not allow himself to be used and dumped by the APC.

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“This is also the time for Tinubu to see himself as the father of all. My prayer for Governor Fubara is for God to continue to direct and protect him in this political journey. Your calmness of purpose and humility will continue to endear you to the people. The political storm in Rivers must disappear immediately, in the interest of all Nigerians.”

President Bola Tinubu has ordered men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) to move into Rivers and secure the state against rampaging hoodlums setting fire on headquarters of local government areas, apparently to stop the newly-inaugurated council executives from taking office.

Tinubu’s order was conveyed in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, his spokesman, on a day he also called on Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of the state “political leaders” and their supporters to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law, without mentioning Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who has been fingered in the crisis.

Part of the statement, read: “In response to recent tensions following last Saturday’s local government council election, the President expressed deep concern over reports of arson and explosions in the state. He urged all political actors to de-escalate the situation and discourage their supporters from engaging in violence or destructive actions.

“President Tinubu directed the police to restore and maintain peace, law, and order immediately. While instructing law enforcement agencies to bring the situation under control, he emphasised the need to ensure the security of public institutions.

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“President Tinubu said government facilities built with public funds must be safeguarded from vandalism. He stressed that self-help has no place in a democratic system, especially after 25 years of continuous democracy. According to President Tinubu, the judiciary can settle all political disputes, and the outcome of this election should be no exception.”

Authorities of the Rivers State Police Command, have continued to keep mute as more local government area headquarters go up in flames, apparently as a fallout to the commencement of new administrations in the 23 councils of the state.

What started from the Eleme Local Government Headquarters, on Monday morning, which was torched by unknown arsonists, has spread to other places, including the newly-built council secretariat at Isiokpo in the Ikwerre Local Government Area, which has also gone up in flames.

Channels Television, quoting a resident of the area, as confirming a video making the rounds about the burning council headquarters.

The incident, which is coming hours after policemen that have been keeping vigil at the councils were withdrawn on Monday morning on the orders of Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), also claimed part of Emohua Local Government Council secretariat, where some youths were said to have blocked the entrance chanting songs in solidarity of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and insisting that the new chairman David Omereji would not be allowed to take office.

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A video, which has gone viral on social media, indicating where the current firepower is coming, showed the youths in the Emohua council, who have barricaded the entrance to the secretariat, chanting “No Wike, No Rivers State!!”

There no indications however that the police have either arrested any of the hoodlums or any statement explaining the volatile situation, which is coming on the heels of the inauguration of the 23 members of the councils by Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of the State, on Sunday, following their individual victories at the local government elections a day earlier.

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on Monday last week, barred the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) from providing security in the state during the local government elections of Saturday, alongside the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which was also barred from providing the voters register for the exercise.

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