AHEAD of the National Assembly debate on President Bola Tinubu’s illegal declaration of the state of emergency on Rivers State on Wednesday, the head of Nigeria’s lawmakers, Mr Godswill Akpabio, has visited one of the protagonists in the crisis, Mr Nyesom Wike, who is the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Mr Wike, former Rivers State governor, is fighting with Governor Sim Fubara over the soul of the oil-rich state. Mr Wike installed Mr Fubara but they later fell out owing to disagreements over who controls what.
However, it appears that Mr Tinubu, who is the head of the executive arm of government, has taken sides with his minister, blaming Governor Fubara for everything and sparing his ally, Mr Wike, who also contributed to the crisis.
It also appears that the head of the Nigerian legislature, Mr Akpabio, has also taken sides with Mr Wike, visiting him at a time when he should distance himself to give the impression that he will be fair when the matter comes up in the National Assembly for debate.
Knocks on Akpabio, Tinubu
An Edo State-based political scientist, Mr Adua Omoregbe, said the current crop of Nigerian politicians has become so brazen that they do not fear the consequences of their actions.
“They used to hide things like this, but they don’t any longer. After all, nobody is going to challenge them,” said Mr Omoregbe, noting that “they are right because the doctrine of checks and balances is long dead.”
“They are clearly showing open bias for Wike, and their lust for Rivers State’s resources can no longer be tamed. Someone should tell President Tinubu that power is transient. He clearly wants to turn Rivers State into the All Progressives Congress (APC) state, years after criticising those who did same and pretending to be a democrat. But time will tell,” he added.
An X user, @agbomatt100, said: “The President can slaughter 10 million Nigerians, and the Akpabio-led National Assembly would be there to lick his blade clean with their toungues. Nigeria has never been this bad since 1999.”
Another X user, @Tony_Ogbuagu, said, “Wike hosted Akpabio last night as the National Assembly prepares to vote in favor or against the declaration of the President on the state of emergency in Rivers State. Nigeria is a joke writing itself.”
Yet another X user, @kingslchbk, claimed that Akpabio had a mission for the visit. “Akpabio visited him so that they can discuss on how to get the Senate approval the state of emergency on Rivers State,” he claimed.
A user, @Ogbennavalentin, said: “What is happening is very insulting. A Senate President that will validate a matter involving Wike and Fubara today was seen at Wike’s residence the previous day. Nigeria is falling and Nigerians are folding their hands. We have failed as a generation. We watched Nigeria die.”
Warisenobo Tamunotonye, with the handle @CHAPP_J, said what goes around comes around.
“The good thing about the state of emergency in Rivers State is that it’s now an established reference. One day Tinubu will leave office and it will be tested in Lagos. So it’s good because it’s now law that the president can suspend a governor,” he noted.
READ ALSO: Rivers LG elections: Spotlight on Nigeria police as Wike, Fubara in fight to the finish
Yet another X user, @HatersLoose, said: “Power is ephemeral. It will soon fade from their hands and they will answer to their creator for all their crimes and nefarious deeds. No evil deed will go unpunished and the guilty will not go unpunished.”
A human rights activist, Ms Grace Udom, described the alliance between Mr Akpabio and Mr Wike as unholy, urging Nigerians to ensure that they keep a closer watch on anti-democratic forces masquerading as leaders.
“The Senate president has shown who he is. He has shown that the National Assembly will not act like an independent arm of government when deciding Tinubu’s unconstitutional declaration of state of emrgency on Rivers.”
