WIKE Berates Gov Fubara Over Budget Delay, As Rivers Political Crisis Resurfaces

The Rivers State political crisis continues to linger, as the last attempt by President BOLA TINUBU to reconcile gladiators appears to have failed. This is because the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, NYESOM WIKE, has publicly criticized Rivers State Governor, SIMINALAYI FUBARA, over his style of governance. NYESOM WIKE accused Governor SIMINALAYI FUBARA of neglecting governance to focus on pursuing his second-term ambition. WIKE specifically berated Governor FUBARA for failing to present his budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly for appropriation. Speaking during his regular media chat in Abuja, the FCT Minister warned Governor FUBARA that the budget delay could hamper the smooth running of government activities and the delivery of essential services to Rivers people. The FCT Minister, who remains in the PDP while working under President BOLA TINUBU of the APC, also faulted the decision by the PDP faction led by TANIMU TURAKI to set up an Interim National Working Committee for the opposition party. The TURAKI group said its decision is because the recent Supreme Court judgment on the PDP leadership dispute left a vacuum in the leadership of the party. However, NYESOM WIKE described the move by the KABIRU TURAKI and his supporters as fraudulent, and urged Nigerians to avoid being misled by them. WIKE maintained that the caretaker committee set up by TURAKI and his loyalists was an attempt to deceive the public, stressing that there was no leadership vacuum in the PDP, as suggested by the group. He argued that the Supreme Court’s verdict did not create any leadership gap within the party, warning that any attempt by the TURAKI group to sell nomination forms should be seen as fraud.