Nwuche Eulogises Tinubu for Declaring State of Emergency in Rivers, Restoring Peace

Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Prince Chibudom Nwuche, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for restoring peace, law, and order in Rivers State.

Nwuche, who hails from the state, praised the President’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers, saying it was a necessary measure to prevent the state from descending into chaos.

The former Deputy Speaker made the comments when he received members of the Wikematic Counselors Forum (WCF) from Ahoada East Local Government Area at his Port Harcourt residence.

The group, comprising former councilors and supervisors, had come to express their gratitude to Nwuche for his unwavering support for President Tinubu’s administration and his stance on the Rivers State crisis.

Nwuche commended the group for remaining steadfast during the political turmoil that rocked the state, which saw their efforts and contributions to the emergence of Siminalayi Fubara as governor betrayed by Fubara himself.

He noted that the suspended governor had been ungrateful to his benefactor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, who had single-handedly made him governor against all odds.

“A river that forgets its source will soon dry up,” Nwuche said, emphasizing the importance of gratitude. He also reminded the group that the Holy Bible condemns ingratitude, citing the example of Fubara’s betrayal of Wike’s trust.

Nwuche also cautioned against the promotion of ethnicity in Rivers politics, saying it was heightening the political tension in the state.

He emphasized that Fubara was voted for by all the tribes in Rivers, including the Ikwerre, Ogoni, Ekpeye, Etche, and Kalabari, among others, and that no ethnic group could solely make itself a governor in the state.

“Fubara wasn’t voted as an Ijaw governor, but as a Rivers governor,” Nwuche said. “He was voted for by all Rivers people, and not for any particular tribe.” He urged meddlesome interlopers from outside Rivers to focus on their states and called on those at the National Assembly to direct their energies on matters affecting their constituencies.

The former Deputy Speaker also advised those sponsoring protests designed to cause a breach of peace in Rivers to retrace their steps and realize that a Supreme Court judgment had resolved all the political issues in the state. He noted that no amount of protests could change the position of the law on the political issues in Rivers and called on all citizens of the state to support the Sole Administrator, Vice-Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd), in his determination to restore permanent peace and drive development within the period of the state of emergency.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Adamu Moses, told Nwuche that they were in his house to thank him for standing behind Wike in supporting President Tinubu’s administration. Adamu said that but for the timely intervention of the President through the declaration of emergency rule, the state was already heading for a full-scale crisis that could have led to loss of lives and widespread destruction of national oil and gas assets.

Adamu extolled the leadership qualities of Wike, describing him as a detribalized leader who sited developmental projects across all ethnic groups and local government areas in Rivers when he was governor. He noted that Wike had made an Ijaw man governor against stiff opposition from some notable Ijaw personalities who at that time discriminated against the governor as not being “real Ijaw.”

The Coordinator of the Wikematic Former Councilors Forum in Rivers State, Dr. Samuel Amos, thanked Nwuche for being the true symbol of the Ekpeye man known for integrity and gratitude by standing with Wike. The group pledged to continue to support the programs of the Sole Administrator, as well as Wike and the success of President Tinubu’s administration, including his reelection in 2027.

The meeting was seen as a significant development in the ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability in Rivers State. With the support of stakeholders like Nwuche and the Wikematic Counselors Forum, the Sole Administrator and the federal government are likely to make significant progress in addressing the challenges facing the state and ensuring that the interests of all citizens are protected.