Niger Delta stakeholders, including traditional rulers and former militant leaders, united under the banner of Citizens for the Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta (CSDND), have strongly criticized the sinister plot by certain politicians to destabilize the state by removing Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
These stakeholders have denounced the purported suspension of the Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, the endorsement of an impeachment notice against Fubara, and the reported tear gas incident involving unidentified police officers while the State Governor was en route to assess the fire incident at the Assembly Complex on Sunday night.
In a statement released on Monday in Port Harcourt, as conveyed by their National Coordinator, Chief James Okpara, the group expressed its concern about the premature display of political muscle and ego clashes that could plunge the state into turmoil.
The group emphasized that it would be a disgrace for Governor Fubara, who has held office for just five months, to face such a significant coup attempt against the people of Rivers State.
CSDND’s statement contends that despite the positive reception of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, an Ijaw leader, by a majority of stakeholders in the region, “the malevolent scheme to disrupt the State House of Assembly and the Executive branch in a power struggle is wicked and deserves widespread condemnation.”
“The suspected dynamite explosion at the State House of Assembly complex in Port Harcourt,suspension of the Majority leader and impeachment notice against Gov. Fubura is an indication that those behind the attack are desperate and are enemies of the Rivers people.”
The group also called on elders and political leaders from the state including the Minister of the Federal Capital territory, Chief Nyosome Wike, to rise and intervene to put an immediate stop to the crisis rocking the state.
“It is wicked and embarrassing for the infrastructural and political achievements laid down by Minister Wike as a Governor to be rubbished by those targeting to destabilise the state,” the group said.
The CSDND urged those behind the evil plot to cease fire and allow governance to move on in the state, “we call on progressive minded individuals in Rivers state to prevail on members of the State House of Assembly to desist from the wicked plot to cause chaos in the State.”
“We also want to put it on record that Former Gov. Wike fought for the people of the state and the people believed in him. And we want him to know that whatever the differences in opinion and ideology are, Wike and Gov. Fubura must reconcile these differences immediately and move the state forward in the interest of the people and the region.”
“It is also of note that whatever is happening in Rivers State is a clear determing factor to the rising profile of Minister Nyosome Wike. The sky is the limit for Wike therefore he should not allow such minor political issues to drag him down. The people of the State and the Niger Delta region are looking up to him to do the right thing.
“No state has witnessed such chaos being planned so early in an administration, the the people of the state should stand behind their State Governor.”
