Nyesom Wike and Governor Sim Fubara reportedly at loggerheads
There was an unfortunate incident on Sunday night at the Rivers State of Assembly Complex in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The complex was engulfed in flames, after an explosive device was allegedly activated by unknown persons who stormed the hallowed chambers, and set it ablaze.
The fire was a culmination of an ongoing feud between the Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara and the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
There are reports that Fubara who was brought to political limelight by the then Governor of the State, Nyesom Wike, had started to assert himself and making independent decisions about state matters.
This development was said to have reached the ears of Wike who allegedly ordered a check on the Governor by the State House of Assembly.
The plans by the State of House of Assembly to move against the Governor which was earmarked for today had led to the destruction of the Assembly Complex to forestall any action by the Assembly which is overwhelmingly dominated by Wike loyalists.
Speculations on what exactly could have triggered the latest action in the politically volatile state are unclear.
However, there are reports about rifts involving the overreach on the functions of the Governor by the FCT Minister. The Governor is allegedly prevented from taking any major decisions on state matters without the express clearance by the FCT Minister.
Governor Sim Fubara is alleged to have fired the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chidi Amadi, who is kinsman of Nyesom Wike.
This particular action is said to drawn the ire of Nyesom Wike who directed his loyalists to put a check on the Governor as a show of power.
The speculations all over the state this morning is that the State House of Assembly were supposed to sit today to impeach Governor Sim Fubara, and the Majority Leader of the House, Edison Ehie.
Following the destruction of the Assembly Complex, the state is now on edge with security forces throwing a cordon around the vicinity of the Assembly Complex.
The alleged rift between Nyesom Wike and his chosen political godson, Sim Fubara is not totally unforeseen. The history of Nigerian politics is filled with stories of betrayals and confrontations between political Godfathers and their acolytes. This usually occurs when the Godfathers insist on maintaining their stranglehold on the offices occupied by their acolytes.
Rivers State is no different. Nyesom Wike, who is the immediate former Governor of the state, had ensured his loyalists won all the seats in the State House of Assembly and almost all the elective offices emanating from Rivers State at the national level.
