Timi Frank, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, has called for the resignation of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, over the recent unrest in Rivers State......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
This followed the burning of two local government secretariats by hoodlums in the aftermath of Saturday’s local government election in the state.
The former APC deputy publicity secretary accused the police of openly supporting political thugs who set the LG headquarters ablaze, alleging that the arson attacks occurred shortly after the IGP ordered the withdrawal of police from the secretariats.
Frank added that President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the crisis was belated and allegedly biased towards the pro-Wike faction.
He claimed that the FCT minister had boasted about having President Tinubu’s support to destabilise Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration and make the state ungovernable.
“Wike equally vowed to set fire on any state opposed to him and he has commenced by setting Rivers State ablaze,” Frank stated.
In August, Wike warned governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against interfering in the affairs of the party in Rivers State.
The FCT minister, who backed Fubara to emerge governor, had turned against him barely months after the latter was sworn into office.
“And let me assure all of you. Not while we live will anybody take away the structures of PDP from us.
“I hear that there are some governors who said that they will take away the structure and give it back to somebody. I pity those governors because I’ll put fire in their states.
“When God has given you peace and you say you don’t want peace, then whatever you see, you take. Prepare, because I have the capacity to also do the same thing in your own state,” Wike had said at the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt during the party’s state congress in August.
Frank, who had previously raised alarm over alleged plans by Wike to undermine democracy in Rivers State, faulted President Tinubu for failing to call the minister to order.
“Wike has been boasting that he has the President’s blessings to do and undo in Rivers State as well as carry out any action aimed at destabilizing Governor Fubara’s administration and making the entire State ungovernable and he has done it.
“Wike equally vowed to set fire on any state opposed to him and he has commenced by setting Rivers State ablaze, yet President Tinubu and the relevant security agencies have not deemed it necessary to call Wike to order or invite him for questioning, simply because their grand conspiracy and plot to use the oil-rich state to win the 2027 presidential election.
“It is highly unfortunate that the President is being perceived as tacitly encouraging his minister to cause mayhem in Rivers State because he thinks it will benefit him in the 2027 presidential but this must stop.
“Enough is enough. Wike and the Inspector General of police must go. They must be held accountable for this arson. The perpetrators must be arrested and brought to justice.
“All patriotic Nigerians including former Presidents and heads of Labour and Trade Unions must speak up to save Rivers State and its oil facilities from destruction by these sponsored arsonists.
“President Tinubu must for once act as the Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not the commander-in-chief of the All Progressives Congress and political stooges.
“The President swore to an oath to carry out his duties as President without fear or favour, but today it is glaring that he has taken sides with Wike against Rivers’ people,” Frank said in a statement in Abuja.