‘Wike should call his boys to order’

Chief Anabs Sara Igbe is a prominent Ijaw leader and former spokesman of PANDEF. He is also former Special Adviser to the former governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili. He spoke to Weekend Trust on the renewed face-off between the Rivers State House of Assembly and governor Similanayi Fubara.

The House of Assembly members have renewed their stand off with new impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara. What does this portend?

Well I’m not there I don’t know what is going on but first of all as regards the agreement they reached I don’t know anything about that. What we are interested in is peace and I believe that both of them have learnt their lessons and Rivers people suffered so much that somebody came from outside and squandered our money. I wish that both party will appreciate that fact and broker peace among themselves. They should settle whatever difference they have and resolve it amicably.

But on the issue of budget, the National Assembly is constitutionally empowered to make laws and in line with that a budget was passed by the national Assembly for the people of the state. There were lots of discrepancies during the emergency rule but if they are talking about the budget the budget was passed by the National Assembly and the provisions of the budget have not been fully exhausted. The governor has the right to spend money from the budgetary provisions passed by the National Assembly.

Wike appears to be implacable. What would you advice him to do?

I’m calling on Wike who is the leader and father of the Assembly members to call his children to order and resolve all the grey areas with them. Governor Fubara has not come out to tell us that he does not want to work with Wike. He has stated that he is ready to work with Wike to ensure that peace reigns in the state. So I did not see what would have triggered this round of crisis. All of them have gone to APC so what is the role the party is playing in their differences? They are not in different parties that one should say okay you are not in our party so what is the party doing to resolve the problem. Governor Fubara has not told anybody that he is going for a second term so what triggered this crisis? Does it mean that Nyesom Wike is no longer working with Mr President?  If he is working with Mr President why is all this crisis for.

Have you spoken with the governor as an elder of the over this crisis?

I have not spoken with the Governor so I don’t know the terms of agreement they have reached so I think they are too much in a hurry and they are not considering the interest of the state. They have not even seen the pain the state went through in the emergency of the undemocratic governance in the state. My advice to them is that they don’t have to give the state another round of pains whatever difference they have they should resolve it among themselves amicably. I have not spoken to the governor neither have I spoken to any of them about what the issue is but I think they’re too much in a hurry.

Wike has been touring the local government areas of the state. Pundits are of the opinion that he could be behind the current crisis…

As I said earlier I’m not privy to the agreement the governor signed with Wike and the assembly, I have not  seen such an agreement. But by going from local government to local government to talk to the people Wike has violated the electoral laws of campaign. He has violated electoral laws by visiting local government areas and he is doing all this things with impunity.

But for me, I think we need to stick together. People should learn from history. There are  persons who were in power before but today they are in prison. People should learn that today you have power. Tomorrow you will not be in power. Nothing lasts forever. The minister is a minister today tomorrow he will not be there. Tomorrow somebody else will be there. So people will judge you by your works. People will not give account of God when you live this way. People should not just play politics against the country. People should not play politics against the world. It is all the best part of everything. Abacha was so agitated. One morning, Abacha was doing well. But everything changed.

Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, click here to find out how it works.

Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.