Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, on Wednesday distanced the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, from the events leading to the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
President Bola Tinubu had, on Tuesday night, declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state, citing prolonged political instability. As part of the directive, Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months. He also appointed former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, Fagbemi suggested that Governor Fubara’s actions played a significant role in the crisis, particularly the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex.
“Where do you put the Minister of FCT (Wike) in this case? Was he the one who asked for the demolition of the House of Assembly?
“Was he the one who said the governor shouldn’t present the budget to the House Assembly? I don’t see his hand here,” Fagbemi stated.
The crisis in Rivers State has been fueled by a fierce power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, with political tensions escalating in recent months.
