Former Rivers East Constituency senator John Azuta Mbata has urged Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to stay out of Rivers State politics.
The government of Governor Siminalayi Fubara must be given the autonomy to operate independently, Mbata said Wike, who should concentrate on his duties in Abuja.
As a seasoned politician in Rivers, Mbata emphasised the need to back the present government in order to keep the state stable and move forward. “I said,” he repeated,
“He [Wike] is a minister now and doing well; all we pray is for him to continue doing well, face his job in Abuja, and allow Fubara to do his work. This is the time and opportunity for Sir Siminalayi Fubara to show his capacity to move Rivers State forward.”
According to reports, Mbata said, “We continue to say that we support the government of Fubara, and we will be unwavering in that pursuit because we know that life is turned by turn.”
Additionally, he emphasised the significance of unity in administration and related his story of how he installed Wike as Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Council in 1998 against opposition, playing a crucial part in Wike’s political ascension.
At the same time, faculty members at five different Rivers State universities have voiced their worries about the current political climate. The group, which was affiliated with Simple Academics, demanded an end to political conflict and highlighted its negative impacts.
Coordinator General and Rivers State University professor Akuro Gobo lauded Fubara’s government for its investment in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
The state’s welfare should be prioritised, according to Dr. Williams Nzidee, an economist and associate professor at Ignatius Ajuru University, who criticised requests for budget re-presentation and judicial manipulation.
On top of that, American members of MOSOP have asked President Bola Tinubu to arbitrate the dispute between Wike and Fubara. In particular, the group said that a court ruling had halted local council allocations, further impeding growth due to the ongoing conflict.
During an occasion in Missouri, USA, MOSOP issued a communiqué advising Tinubu to remind Wike to prioritise his ministerial responsibilities.
