Rivers’s crisis is about the distribution of money, 2027 elections – Amaechi

A former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Saturday accused that the feud between the Governor of the State Rivers, Siminaayi Fubara, and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, was about the distribution of state funds.

Amaechi, who spoke in an interview with DW Africa, insisted that the imposition of emergency rules for the Tinubu Bola President in the state was not constitutional.

Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Region (FCT) and Fubara fell at the end of 2023.

The feud between the two former allies has divided the country into two camps with several members of the State Council led by Martins Amaewhule and a faction from the Tent of all Progressive (APC) Pitching with Wike while several elders in the state, including Amaechi and former Governor Peter Odili supported Fubara.

President Tinubu stated an emergency in an oil -rich state in March on March 18.

He also suspended Fubara, his deputy and members of the assembly for six months during the prolonged political crisis in the state.

The former governor accused that the president had a share in the Rivers’s crisis for the 2027 general election.

He said: “The fight between the current Governor of Rivers and Minister FCT is about sharing money. If not, what is the quarrel? Nigerians no longer don’t like corruption. I haven’t seen anyone on the streets of the question what is the problem. Can they talk to the public and tell us what the problem is?

“We are now rejected by democracy. The river state is the only state in the country that currently does not enjoy democracy. They have imposed military government on us.

“Secondly, the president acts outside the constitution. Section 188 states how a governor can leave a position, either with death, resignation, or impeachment. Not saying that one day you wake up and a man named President Nigeria will expel you from the office, which makes democracy unstable.

“Rumors are everywhere that if there is a governor who is not careful, the president will delete you. So the river problem is about sharing money and 2027 politics.

“If the president says that the exploding pipe is the reason why he marked an unstable and unsafe river by expressing an emergency, what about other parts of the country where there is insecurity?

“Does the president say that they have to force emergency rules on him? They cannot because he is a democratic elected president. There is a problem of insecurity in the northeast and northwest, even in the southeast and south-south.

“The Governor is not responsible for the pipes that are blown in the river. Security responsibilities only exist in the President. Why punish a man who does not commit violations?”

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