Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State has made a bold declaration amidst the escalating political crisis with Wike, asserting that intimidation has a limited lifespan and eventually comes to an end.
The statement from Fubara comes amidst an ongoing feud with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, which has gripped the state since October 30, 2023.
The crisis came to public attention following a destructive explosion that rocked the State Assembly complex on the night of October 29, 2023.
In response, state lawmakers launched an impeachment process against Governor Fubara and suspended four lawmakers, exacerbating tensions within the Assembly.
The political landscape of the state remains deeply divided, with 27 lawmakers aligning with Wike while only three continue to support Governor Fubara, following the resignation of one lawmaker, Edison Ehie, who now serves as Fubara’s Chief-of-Staff.
Efforts to resolve the crisis have been futile despite intervention from Chief Bola Tinubu in December 2023, which led to the formulation of an eight-point resolution signed by both Fubara and Wike. However, the peace pact failed to quell the unrest within the state.
The animosity between Fubara and Wike was further exacerbated over the weekend as both leaders exchanged verbal blows in a renewed cold war.
Speaking from the Government House in Port Harcourt, Fubara emphasized that intimidation has its limits, drawing parallels to the biblical narrative of Pharaoh’s failed attempts to intimidate the children of Israel.
Fubara stated, “Intimidation has a time, and when it expires, it’s over. Even in the bible, Pharaoh intimidated the children of Israel, but it got to a time; the intimidation did not work again.
“Every bad thing that has a beginning has an end. Don’t worry about me – we have kept that behind; we are looking at the future,” he added.
