*Urges President Tinubu To Intervene
In an extensive interview with ESET tv, Rt. Hon. Uche Onyeagucha Esq, a former member of the House of Representatives for Owerri and a prominent legal practitioner, expressed grave concerns about the escalating political crisis in Rivers State. Onyeagucha warned that the situation risks pushing the state back into the dark days of militancy and violence if not addressed promptly.
Onyeagucha squarely blamed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike for the crisis, accusing him of abusing his position to wage a personal battle against Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. “The power Wike is exercising is the power of Tinubu. If Wike is using that power to cause problems in another state, the President should call him to order. If he refuses, it is Tinubu that is generating the crisis,” Onyeagucha said.
The former lawmaker dismissed the notion that Wike’s role in Fubara’s election gives him the right to control the state. “When you make somebody a governor, you become very powerful. But does that mean you should use your muscle to destroy the state?” He cited several examples of governors who broke away from their political benefactors without causing chaos.
Onyeagucha also took aim at the judiciary, saying its reputation and integrity have been severely compromised. “The judiciary has less integrity than prostitutes,” he declared. He accused the Federal High Court Abuja Division of becoming “Wike’s Division” and urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria to take immediate steps to restore public trust. These include moving all Rivers State cases to the state’s courts and assigning them to judges of proven integrity.
The former legislator emphasized that Rivers State must be allowed to breathe and function democratically. “Wike wanted to go for a third term as governor in Rivers State. He is suffering from power deprivation syndrome. He has to move on.” Onyeagucha warned that failure to resolve the crisis could lead to a resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta, with severe consequences for the Nigerian economy.
Onyeagucha called for a renewed focus on electoral reform and criticized the widespread manipulation of local government elections across Nigeria. He urged President Tinubu to take a stand against electoral malpractice and lead efforts to clean up the system. “Nobody respects Nigeria’s electoral system anymore. We have failed in every ramification,” he lamented.
The former lawmaker also recounted his role in negotiating the surrender of arms by Niger Delta militants in 2007, warning that those gains risk being reversed. He called on all stakeholders, particularly President Tinubu, to act urgently to pull the state back from the brink and allow its people to choose their leaders freely.
“It is time to allow Rivers State to breathe. It is high time Wike is called to order. Go and be minister in Abuja and mind your business. If you don’t want to be minister, let him go to Port Harcourt and fight, and let us see how far he will go. He will be totally bruised,” Onyeagucha concluded.
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