The Rivers Leaders Forum has described the allegations levelled against the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, over the political crisis rocking the state as malicious and satanic.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the forum berated the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara for “folding his arms and watching demonic lies” being peddled against Wike, despite being the “undisputed leader of the political family that saw to his election as governor”.
Explaining the genesis of the crisis, the forum stated that there had been prior issues between the Rivers State Assembly leader, Edison Ehie and some members of the house, which the FCT Minister had no knowledge of.
The Rivers leaders disclosed that Fubara had assumed wrongly that the removal of Ehie by some of the assembly members as the house leader was aimed at impeaching him as governor.
“When the problem started, the governor neither sought the help of Wike or that of the elders, nor did he discourage the peddling of disparaging lies against the Minister.
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“Nyesom Wike has been viciously attacked by sections of the media and the public as an evil mastermind behind the series of events that he was neither involved or privy to.
“The allegations levelled against Wike that he caused the crisis, due to Fubara’s refusal to part with state money, is unfair, satanic, wicked. The governor’s refusal to debunk the lies shows bad faith and ingratitude,” the Rivers leaders said.
The forum revealed that the Minister was the one who fought for the emergence of a governor of Ijaw extraction despite resistance from the Ijaw people in the state.
“The Minister has done more for Ijaw sons and daughters since his appointment than their leaders, who have been fanning embers of ethnicity in this crisis.
“Fubara is aware that Wike invested judiciously in the infrastructural development of the state. His insinuation that the Minister was asking him for money is very unfortunate and regrettable.
“We urge the governor to take urgent steps to correct the false impressions about Wike in the media as part of efforts to nip the crisis in the bud.
“We also encourage those supporting the governor in the needless battle against the FCT Minister to desist forthwith and allow him to concentrate on governing the state,” the group said.
