Comrade (Engr) Igbini Odafe Emmanuel is a mutual friend of the Minister, Wike and Governor Fubara, and who was very committed to the pursuit of peace and the reconciliation between them. In this interview, lgbini, who, Fubara blocked twice on WhatsApp but was not deterred on his mission to reconcile them, reveals how on few occasions during the tensed period, Fubara and Wike got so angry with him because he strongly condemned some of their altercations and actions against each other. Excerpts
Given the very tense political situation in Rivers state then, what do you think would have happened?
Even Governor Fubara would have declared a state of emergency if he were the President of Nigeria in order to save the state from descending into anarchy. The declaration of the state of emergency and suspension of Fubara, his Deputy and the members of the State House of Assembly, was constitutional and lawful though regretful. I blame some political leaders and elders of Rivers state who exploited and escalated the minor misunderstanding between Wike and Fubara for their selfish benefits. Fubara was initially very reluctant in confronting Wike but changed his mind when the situation degenerated due to external pressures on him from the likes of Barr. Femi Falana, SAN and former Governor Peter Odili.
Given the efforts you put in since October 2023 when the political war began between the two gladiators, Governor Fubara and his political godfather, former Governor Wike, how do you feel now that peace has finally returned?
First, point of correction. Wike and Fubara were never gladiators but political father and son who just had a very minor misunderstanding that should not have gone beyond the door of Wike’s home before it is settled. Sadly, they allowed their common political opponents to sneak in and escalated it beyond their control, and it became an almost bloody crisis that claimed few precious lives and caused destruction of some public buildings.
Now, to answer your question. How else do you expect me to feel if not to be celebrating and thanking God Almighty for the return of peace and reconciliation? I feel like a happy mother who despite the fact that medical experts had given up on the safe delivery of her baby, she held on and never gave up until finally she was delivered of her baby in peace and good health. So many people didn’t know the behind-the-scene efforts I made to have this return of peace; in fact, many people still wrongly accuse me of being a Wike man fighting against Fubara but I only laugh because they didn’t know that I was more sympathetic to and supportive of Fubara then. There were advices I offered Fubara and actions I took to help him that I won’t disclose to the public. It is between both of us. Fubara knows and appreciates me. I became his trusted adviser hence he often called me on phone then. Recall that at some point in 2014 Wike and Fubara publicly declared war against each other and their supporters did too but I remained the only person who never gave up on bringing them back together.
A strong ally of Wike was always quick to remind me of how some years ago I tried so hard to reconcile Wike and then Governor Rotimi Amaechi but I couldn’t. I retained on my social media handles as my profile photo, the photos of Wike and Fubara when they were happily together before the 2023 guber election. Their followers and other people made mockery of me because they tell me that I am wasting my time thinking that both of them can still be reconciled.
But I insisted I will make them reconcile. At one point I threatened both of them that I will drop their photo from my social media handles if they don’t allow peace to return. Their photo is still my profile photo on my social media handles. When the war path was drawn between them, Senator Lee Maeba who became a major ally of Fubara had to exit a WhatsApp group we both belong to because he kept complaining bitterly that I was always defending Wike.
He and others like him could not stand me because they knew I was telling the truth and that I was not doing so to curry any favour in cash or kind from Wike or Fubara. I have consistently made it clear that I have never asked for a kobo or any favour from Wike or Fubara. I don’t even know where Wike’s Office is in Abuja till this moment. I have also never stepped my feet near the gate of Rivers State Government in Portharcourt. I deliberately refuse to do both to enable me speak the bitter and hurtful truth to them when they do wrong because what matters most to me is the peace and continued development of Rivers state from the point Wike stopped as Governor. We need more flyovers and world-class public infrastructures in Portharcourt that will replicate Dubai in our south-south region.
Were you aware of the disagreement between them before it escalated and became public?
No. I was not aware because I was never expecting any disagreement so early in the day; just less than four months after Wike made him Governor. I was physically with them in Portharcourt at the Stadium on May 29, 2023 for the handing over ceremony. I was also with them at the Wike’s thanksgiving service at the Anglican Church, Rumuokrushi and at the grand reception organised for Wike by his Ikwerre people at Rumuola. On these occasions, I was given the privilege to sit right behind their ADCs. Therefore, I knew all that were said by both of them and the vows they both made to God and to each other never to betray or walk away from each other no matter the plots by their political opponents to cause disunity between them. In addition, true to their vows, Wike remained supportive of Fubara while Fubara reciprocated by remaining very loyal and humble to his Oga, as he insisted on calling Wike. How then would I expect that so soon they will fail in the vows to each other and to God Almighty? Few days to October 30, 2023 when part of the Rivers State Assembly Complex was set ablaze because of the rumour of plot to impeach Fubara, I got a hint that something was going to happen in the corridor of power of the state but I never took it serious and never expected that it will be anything close to crisis between Wike and his beloved godson, Fubara. It is the reason I was shocked to my bone marrow and so pained when I later knew of the disagreement between them and the rumour of plot to impeach Fubara. Of course, I immediately reacted by strongly condemning any attempt by Wike to cause impeachment of Fubara because Fubara had committed no constitutional misconduct to warrant the legislators to invoke section 188 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution, as amended, against him. This I made very clear to Wike and I issued press release to that effect. There was no way I would have allowed the impeachment and removal of Fubara from Office because he did no constitutional wrong.
At what point did Governor Fubara begin to communicate with you on this matter?
The first day he called me on phone regarding this matter was in January 2024’ two months after I had relentlessly bombarded the media space with my press statements and interviews I granted your newspaper and others and I do send the links directly to Wike and Fubara to read so that they know that I was not going to allow them go on this part of self-destruct.
Fubara began by acknowledging that he reads all views I sent to him concerning the issue between him and his Oga, and that he decided to call me to sincerely thank and appreciate me for being fair and objective even though some of my views are against him. We spoke for long and I offered him very useful advice. One thing I love about him is that he appreciates me each time he calls me. Wike also took serious the advice I gave him. Wike is a man who listens and takes useful advice contrary to views held against him. Never mind his outbursts sometimes.
What did Fubara told you was the cause of the crisis between them?
What he told me was nothing near the allegations people make against Wike. He never made any allegation of fraud against Wike or wanting to take over the control of the government from him. He repeatedly told me that he does everything Wike asks him to do and that he is surprised this happened. I also independently confirmed this from very reliable sources who said that before October 30, 2023 Fubara remained very loyal to Wike to the extent that he comes to see Wike at home where state official matters were discussed and decisions are taken in line with their agreement to continue and consolidate on the good jobs Wike did as Governor. This for me, is commendable and the way to go!
So, what then led to Wike’s plot to impeach Fubara which resulted in the counter by Fubara and the full-blown crisis?
The plot and the counter were the result of both of them succumbing to external destructive pressures. Nothing more! Yes, it is true that Wike was upset with Fubara because Fubara went to flag-off the construction of phase one of internal roads at Elelenwo Community where Hon. Kingsley Chinda who is the minority leader of House of Representatives and a man who stood with Wike to deliver Fubara as Governor, hails from and during the ceremony Fubara did not acknowledge Wike or Chinda as is the norm with Wike and politicians.
After the ceremony Wike privately called Fubara on the phone and tongue-lashed him. This did not go down well with Fubara who then felt that he was now being undermined and of course, other persons urged him to resist such. For this simple reason, all other flag-off ceremonies earlier scheduled at other places were canceled and the construction of this phase one roads at Elelenwo was put off. You can now see the reason I kept insisting that it was a minor misunderstanding between them that they allowed their common political adversaries to exploit and escalate to a major crisis that led to the very unfortunate declaration of state of emergency with six months wasted and hundreds of billions of naira of the state funds now allegedly misappropriated. This really hurts me so deep but they should blame themselves, not President Tinubu or the Sole Administrator, Ibas.
Fubara supporters justify his decision to storm the Assembly Complex and ordered its demolition as a way of preventing the Legislators from sitting to impeach him. How do you react to this?
Fubara made this terrible mistake. I made this clear to him. Nobody should encourage or justify such action as the right way to counter any impeachment move. Not even in America would it be tolerated that a President or Governor of a state will storm and ordered the demolition of the National Assembly or State House of Assembly simply because there is a move to commence impeachment proceedings against him or her. Not even former President Obasanjo did this when members of the National Assembly moved to impeach him over allegations of gross misconduct. Nothing justifies that action of Fubara to demolish that very beautiful Assembly Complex built by former Governor Peter Odili. He was misled to toe the line of former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki who escaped impeachment and removal from office when he ordered the demolition of part of Edo State House of Assembly Complex and shut it down for four years in order to prevent the Assembly members from sitting to carry out their constitutional duties. Obaseki desecrated our democracy but unfortunately, the internal politics in APC then saved him from punishment. It was after this incident of demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly that the real crisis began which led to the decision by the 27 legislators to make that move to decamp to APC in order to fight back for their survival. However, recall that even when Wike and his team had thought they lost out because of calls on the legislators to vacate their seats I insisted that their actions never amounted to valid decamping from PDP and therefore that they remained members of PDP and their seats remain intact, will not be vacated. I am happy the Supreme Court agreed with me in its judgement delivered two years later in February this year.
But many people believe that President Tinubu compelled Fubara to swallow this bitter and humiliating pile because of his 2027 re-election bid for President given that Rivers state is very strategic to his success as was the case in 2023. Do you disagree with this?
However, there are many people including Fubara, who still hold that the state of emergency was not constitutional and justified. People accuse President Tinubu of declaring it to save Wike and his Assemblymen; otherwise, he should have declared same in states like Benue and others where terrorists were killing people.
This is not correct at all because the situation in Rivers state was different from others. As far as I am concerned, the utterances of Fubara after the judgement of the Supreme Court was delivered warranted and justified the declaration of the state of emergency in the state. Why on earth would Fubara who benefited from the judgement of the same Supreme Court to become Governor turn around to want to disobey and disregard the judgement of the same Supreme Court simply because it did not favour him now and we want to allow such and applaud him for doing so? No, please! I told Fubara that he can’t cherry pick. Judgements of Supreme Courts are never to be disobeyed or disregarded in any country lest there be anarchy and collapse of the nation. Disobedience of Supreme Court judgement amounts to gross misconduct punishable by impeachment and removal from office. He was misled by the likes of Femi Falana, SAN and former Governor Peter Odili. He realized thereafter that it was indeed a very costly mistake he made. This is the same Rivers state where by the judgement of the same Supreme Court in year 2007, Sir Celestine Omehia was thrown out of office and Rotimi Amaechi was made Governor without even campaigning during the election as PDP candidate. I was in Portharcourt the day the judgement was delivered. Sir Celestine Omehia immediately fully obeyed the Supreme Court and vacated the Government House. Few years ago, we saw how the Supreme Court stopped Bayelsa state APC Guber candidate, David Lyon, from assuming the position of Governor less than 24 hours to his swearing-in ceremony. He obeyed and this paved the way for Senator Duoye Diri of PDP to become Governor of the state. In 2023, many people became Governors simply because of the judgements of the Supreme Court. I was therefore shocked and disappointed that these same Governors went to file a suit at the Supreme Court challenging the declaration of state of emergency instead of blaming their colleague, Governor Fubara, for disobeying the judgement of the Supreme Court. This action by these Governors was taking politics to a ridiculous level. I am sure they realized it hence many of them tactically pulled themselves out of the suit. In America, we saw how the judgement of the Supreme Court made George Bush junior become President instead of Vice President Al Gore who actually got votes that are far more valid. There are many examples in the US. In Nigeria, Obasanjo, late President Umar Yar Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, late Buhari and now incumbent President Tinubu, all became President by judgements of the same Supreme Court of Nigeria. Let me tell you, at a time last year when the tension in Rivers state was unbearably high I had to fly to Abuja to write and deliver letters to the leadership of the National Assembly and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, requesting them to invoke their constitutional powers to save the situation. I thank them for positively responding to my requests particularly the Chief Justice of Nigeria for directing accelerated hearing on the numerous suits filed by people. Recall that in one of the interviews I granted you, I made it clear that only the judgement of the Supreme Court can lay the foundation for this peace and reconciliation to happen and it did. Never again will Wike and Fubara make this mistake. They have learnt their bitter lessons.
Yes, I strongly and totally disagree with this. It is not true that President Tinubu caused this reconciliation to happen. I caused it to happen. Quote me! Fubara and Wike know this as a fact. President Tinubu had withdrawn from the matter after he was unjustly insulted and disrespected when he sacrificed to make the initial attempt to reconcile them through the Abuja Peace Accord held at the Presidential Villa last year. Remember that when the tension was just rising in the polity of Rivers state, the President didn’t want to get involved so as not be unjustly accused of supporting Wike but it took people like me to appeal to him to do so and when he did, what he got were unending unwarranted insults with some persons misleading Fubara to disregard the President while others went to courts seeking nullification of the signed Peace Accord claiming it was not legally bidding on Fubara. They even accused the President of supporting Wike against Fubara. So, why would anybody expect him to intervene the second time? This is a President who during the same period he intervened in the political crises in Ondo and Lagos states and brought about peace and reconciliation and all the parties in the disputes accepted. Mr President only acted to save Rivers state from anarchy, this being his constitutional responsibility but I did the reconciliation. Wike and Fubara owe me more gratitude than they owe President Tinubu. As a matter of fact, the entire Opobo people of Rivers state should be grateful to me for the last minute advice I gave Fubara which made him accept this reconciliation because I told him point blank that he must not waste this golden opportunity given to his people of Opobo by Wike to produce Governor because there is no way an Opobo man or woman would have easily become Governor where we have Ijaws and Ogonis in same Senatorial District. So he must use this opportunity to develop Rivers state and his Opobo community. It is their turn!
But we heard that President Tinubu had a meeting with Fubara in London prior to Fubara publicly accepting to reconcile with Wike.
Yes, he did but he only asked that both parties report to him if or when they finally agree to reconcile and work together again. Remember that this happened during the period the state of emergency was declared in the state. Tinubu did not need them for him to continue as President of Nigeria instead they both needed him in order to be freed from the political crash they were in then. Both had lost it and were having sleepless nights while sycophants around them were cashing out big time and getting undeserved juicy appointments from them at state and federal levels.
Given the very tense political situation in Rivers state then, what do you think would have happened?
Even Governor Fubara would have declared a state of emergency if he were the President of Nigeria in order to save the state from descending into anarchy. The declaration of the state of emergency and suspension of Fubara, his Deputy and the members of the State House of Assembly, was constitutional and lawful though regretful. I blame some political leaders and elders of Rivers state who exploited and escalated the minor misunderstanding between Wike and Fubara for their selfish benefits. Fubara was initially very reluctant in confronting Wike but changed his mind when the situation degenerated due to external pressures on him from the likes of Barr. Femi Falana, SAN and former Governor Peter Odili.
Given the efforts you put in since October 2023 when the political war began between the two gladiators, Governor Fubara and his political godfather, former Governor Wike, how do you feel now that peace has finally returned?
First, point of correction. Wike and Fubara were never gladiators but political father and son who just had a very minor misunderstanding that should not have gone beyond the door of Wike’s home before it is settled. Sadly, they allowed their common political opponents to sneak in and escalated it beyond their control, and it became an almost bloody crisis that claimed few precious lives and caused destruction of some public buildings.
Now, to answer your question. How else do you expect me to feel if not to be celebrating and thanking God Almighty for the return of peace and reconciliation? I feel like a happy mother who despite the fact that medical experts had given up on the safe delivery of her baby, she held on and never gave up until finally she was delivered of her baby in peace and good health. So many people didn’t know the behind-the-scene efforts I made to have this return of peace; in fact, many people still wrongly accuse me of being a Wike man fighting against Fubara but I only laugh because they didn’t know that I was more sympathetic to and supportive of Fubara then. There were advices I offered Fubara and actions I took to help him that I won’t disclose to the public. It is between both of us. Fubara knows and appreciates me. I became his trusted adviser hence he often called me on phone then. Recall that at some point in 2014 Wike and Fubara publicly declared war against each other and their supporters did too but I remained the only person who never gave up on bringing them back together.
A strong ally of Wike was always quick to remind me of how some years ago I tried so hard to reconcile Wike and then Governor Rotimi Amaechi but I couldn’t. I retained on my social media handles as my profile photo, the photos of Wike and Fubara when they were happily together before the 2023 guber election. Their followers and other people made mockery of me because they tell me that I am wasting my time thinking that both of them can still be reconciled.
But I insisted I will make them reconcile. At one point I threatened both of them that I will drop their photo from my social media handles if they don’t allow peace to return. Their photo is still my profile photo on my social media handles. When the war path was drawn between them, Senator Lee Maeba who became a major ally of Fubara had to exit a WhatsApp group we both belong to because he kept complaining bitterly that I was always defending Wike.
He and others like him could not stand me because they knew I was telling the truth and that I was not doing so to curry any favour in cash or kind from Wike or Fubara. I have consistently made it clear that I have never asked for a kobo or any favour from Wike or Fubara. I don’t even know where Wike’s Office is in Abuja till this moment. I have also never stepped my feet near the gate of Rivers State Government in Portharcourt. I deliberately refuse to do both to enable me speak the bitter and hurtful truth to them when they do wrong because what matters most to me is the peace and continued development of Rivers state from the point Wike stopped as Governor. We need more flyovers and world-class public infrastructures in Portharcourt that will replicate Dubai in our south-south region.
Were you aware of the disagreement between them before it escalated and became public?
No. I was not aware because I was never expecting any disagreement so early in the day; just less than four months after Wike made him Governor. I was physically with them in Portharcourt at the Stadium on May 29, 2023 for the handing over ceremony. I was also with them at the Wike’s thanksgiving service at the Anglican Church, Rumuokrushi and at the grand reception organised for Wike by his Ikwerre people at Rumuola. On these occasions, I was given the privilege to sit right behind their ADCs. Therefore, I knew all that were said by both of them and the vows they both made to God and to each other never to betray or walk away from each other no matter the plots by their political opponents to cause disunity between them. In addition, true to their vows, Wike remained supportive of Fubara while Fubara reciprocated by remaining very loyal and humble to his Oga, as he insisted on calling Wike. How then would I expect that so soon they will fail in the vows to each other and to God Almighty? Few days to October 30, 2023 when part of the Rivers State Assembly Complex was set ablaze because of the rumour of plot to impeach Fubara, I got a hint that something was going to happen in the corridor of power of the state but I never took it serious and never expected that it will be anything close to crisis between Wike and his beloved godson, Fubara. It is the reason I was shocked to my bone marrow and so pained when I later knew of the disagreement between them and the rumour of plot to impeach Fubara. Of course, I immediately reacted by strongly condemning any attempt by Wike to cause impeachment of Fubara because Fubara had committed no constitutional misconduct to warrant the legislators to invoke section 188 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution, as amended, against him. This I made very clear to Wike and I issued press release to that effect. There was no way I would have allowed the impeachment and removal of Fubara from Office because he did no constitutional wrong.
At what point did Governor Fubara begin to communicate with you on this matter?
The first day he called me on phone regarding this matter was in January 2024’ two months after I had relentlessly bombarded the media space with my press statements and interviews I granted your newspaper and others and I do send the links directly to Wike and Fubara to read so that they know that I was not going to allow them go on this part of self-destruct.
Fubara began by acknowledging that he reads all views I sent to him concerning the issue between him and his Oga, and that he decided to call me to sincerely thank and appreciate me for being fair and objective even though some of my views are against him. We spoke for long and I offered him very useful advice. One thing I love about him is that he appreciates me each time he calls me. Wike also took serious the advice I gave him. Wike is a man who listens and takes useful advice contrary to views held against him. Never mind his outbursts sometimes.
What did Fubara told you was the cause of the crisis between them?
What he told me was nothing near the allegations people make against Wike. He never made any allegation of fraud against Wike or wanting to take over the control of the government from him. He repeatedly told me that he does everything Wike asks him to do and that he is surprised this happened. I also independently confirmed this from very reliable sources who said that before October 30, 2023 Fubara remained very loyal to Wike to the extent that he comes to see Wike at home where state official matters were discussed and decisions are taken in line with their agreement to continue and consolidate on the good jobs Wike did as Governor. This for me, is commendable and the way to go!
So, what then led to Wike’s plot to impeach Fubara which resulted in the counter by Fubara and the full-blown crisis?
The plot and the counter were the result of both of them succumbing to external destructive pressures. Nothing more! Yes, it is true that Wike was upset with Fubara because Fubara went to flag-off the construction of phase one of internal roads at Elelenwo Community where Hon. Kingsley Chinda who is the minority leader of House of Representatives and a man who stood with Wike to deliver Fubara as Governor, hails from and during the ceremony Fubara did not acknowledge Wike or Chinda as is the norm with Wike and politicians.
After the ceremony Wike privately called Fubara on the phone and tongue-lashed him. This did not go down well with Fubara who then felt that he was now being undermined and of course, other persons urged him to resist such. For this simple reason, all other flag-off ceremonies earlier scheduled at other places were canceled and the construction of this phase one roads at Elelenwo was put off. You can now see the reason I kept insisting that it was a minor misunderstanding between them that they allowed their common political adversaries to exploit and escalate to a major crisis that led to the very unfortunate declaration of state of emergency with six months wasted and hundreds of billions of naira of the state funds now allegedly misappropriated. This really hurts me so deep but they should blame themselves, not President Tinubu or the Sole Administrator, Ibas.
Fubara supporters justify his decision to storm the Assembly Complex and ordered its demolition as a way of preventing the Legislators from sitting to impeach him. How do you react to this?
Fubara made this terrible mistake. I made this clear to him. Nobody should encourage or justify such action as the right way to counter any impeachment move. Not even in America would it be tolerated that a President or Governor of a state will storm and ordered the demolition of the National Assembly or State House of Assembly simply because there is a move to commence impeachment proceedings against him or her. Not even former President Obasanjo did this when members of the National Assembly moved to impeach him over allegations of gross misconduct. Nothing justifies that action of Fubara to demolish that very beautiful Assembly Complex built by former Governor Peter Odili. He was misled to toe the line of former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki who escaped impeachment and removal from office when he ordered the demolition of part of Edo State House of Assembly Complex and shut it down for four years in order to prevent the Assembly members from sitting to carry out their constitutional duties. Obaseki desecrated our democracy but unfortunately, the internal politics in APC then saved him from punishment. It was after this incident of demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly that the real crisis began which led to the decision by the 27 legislators to make that move to decamp to APC in order to fight back for their survival. However, recall that even when Wike and his team had thought they lost out because of calls on the legislators to vacate their seats I insisted that their actions never amounted to valid decamping from PDP and therefore that they remained members of PDP and their seats remain intact, will not be vacated. I am happy the Supreme Court agreed with me in its judgement delivered two years later in February this year.
But many people believe that President Tinubu compelled Fubara to swallow this bitter and humiliating pile because of his 2027 re-election bid for President given that Rivers state is very strategic to his success as was the case in 2023. Do you disagree with this?
However, there are many people including Fubara, who still hold that the state of emergency was not constitutional and justified. People accuse President Tinubu of declaring it to save Wike and his Assemblymen; otherwise, he should have declared same in states like Benue and others where terrorists were killing people.
This is not correct at all because the situation in Rivers state was different from others. As far as I am concerned, the utterances of Fubara after the judgement of the Supreme Court was delivered warranted and justified the declaration of the state of emergency in the state. Why on earth would Fubara who benefited from the judgement of the same Supreme Court to become Governor turn around to want to disobey and disregard the judgement of the same Supreme Court simply because it did not favour him now and we want to allow such and applaud him for doing so? No, please! I told Fubara that he can’t cherry pick. Judgements of Supreme Courts are never to be disobeyed or disregarded in any country lest there be anarchy and collapse of the nation. Disobedience of Supreme Court judgement amounts to gross misconduct punishable by impeachment and removal from office. He was misled by the likes of Femi Falana, SAN and former Governor Peter Odili. He realized thereafter that it was indeed a very costly mistake he made. This is the same Rivers state where by the judgement of the same Supreme Court in year 2007, Sir Celestine Omehia was thrown out of office and Rotimi Amaechi was made Governor without even campaigning during the election as PDP candidate. I was in Portharcourt the day the judgement was delivered. Sir Celestine Omehia immediately fully obeyed the Supreme Court and vacated the Government House. Few years ago, we saw how the Supreme Court stopped Bayelsa state APC Guber candidate, David Lyon, from assuming the position of Governor less than 24 hours to his swearing-in ceremony. He obeyed and this paved the way for Senator Duoye Diri of PDP to become Governor of the state. In 2023, many people became Governors simply because of the judgements of the Supreme Court. I was therefore shocked and disappointed that these same Governors went to file a suit at the Supreme Court challenging the declaration of state of emergency instead of blaming their colleague, Governor Fubara, for disobeying the judgement of the Supreme Court. This action by these Governors was taking politics to a ridiculous level. I am sure they realized it hence many of them tactically pulled themselves out of the suit. In America, we saw how the judgement of the Supreme Court made George Bush junior become President instead of Vice President Al Gore who actually got votes that are far more valid. There are many examples in the US. In Nigeria, Obasanjo, late President Umar Yar Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, late Buhari and now incumbent President Tinubu, all became President by judgements of the same Supreme Court of Nigeria. Let me tell you, at a time last year when the tension in Rivers state was unbearably high I had to fly to Abuja to write and deliver letters to the leadership of the National Assembly and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, requesting them to invoke their constitutional powers to save the situation. I thank them for positively responding to my requests particularly the Chief Justice of Nigeria for directing accelerated hearing on the numerous suits filed by people. Recall that in one of the interviews I granted you, I made it clear that only the judgement of the Supreme Court can lay the foundation for this peace and reconciliation to happen and it did. Never again will Wike and Fubara make this mistake. They have learnt their bitter lessons.
Yes, I strongly and totally disagree with this. It is not true that President Tinubu caused this reconciliation to happen. I caused it to happen. Quote me! Fubara and Wike know this as a fact. President Tinubu had withdrawn from the matter after he was unjustly insulted and disrespected when he sacrificed to make the initial attempt to reconcile them through the Abuja Peace Accord held at the Presidential Villa last year. Remember that when the tension was just rising in the polity of Rivers state, the President didn’t want to get involved so as not be unjustly accused of supporting Wike but it took people like me to appeal to him to do so and when he did, what he got were unending unwarranted insults with some persons misleading Fubara to disregard the President while others went to courts seeking nullification of the signed Peace Accord claiming it was not legally bidding on Fubara. They even accused the President of supporting Wike against Fubara. So, why would anybody expect him to intervene the second time? This is a President who during the same period he intervened in the political crises in Ondo and Lagos states and brought about peace and reconciliation and all the parties in the disputes accepted. Mr President only acted to save Rivers state from anarchy, this being his constitutional responsibility but I did the reconciliation. Wike and Fubara owe me more gratitude than they owe President Tinubu. As a matter of fact, the entire Opobo people of Rivers state should be grateful to me for the last minute advice I gave Fubara which made him accept this reconciliation because I told him point blank that he must not waste this golden opportunity given to his people of Opobo by Wike to produce Governor because there is no way an Opobo man or woman would have easily become Governor where we have Ijaws and Ogonis in same Senatorial District. So he must use this opportunity to develop Rivers state and his Opobo community. It is their turn!
But we heard that President Tinubu had a meeting with Fubara in London prior to Fubara publicly accepting to reconcile with Wike.
Yes, he did but he only asked that both parties report to him if or when they finally agree to reconcile and work together again. Remember that this happened during the period the state of emergency was declared in the state. Tinubu did not need them for him to continue as President of Nigeria instead they both needed him in order to be freed from the political crash they were in then. Both had lost it and were having sleepless nights while sycophants around them were cashing out big time and getting undeserved juicy appointments from them at state and federal levels.