A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, on Tuesday, 31 October, 2023, waded into the political crisis in Rivers State with a call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to immediately sack the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for masterminding a plot to impeach Governor Siminilaye Fubara.
He warned that should Wike succeed to remove Fubara as Governor, at the end of the day, sitting Governors would become vegetables like Local Government Chairmen in states.
According to him, the action of the police in tear-gassing and pouring water on Governor Fubara who is supposed to be the Chief Security of the State was condemnable.
He also called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to urgently remove the Commissioner of Police in Rivers state, over the partisan action of his men against the elected Governor of the State.
Frank in a statement insisted that Wike’s sack had become necessary to stop him from bringing Tinubu’s government into disrepute and destroying the APC.
He said, “Already Wike has started demolishing houses and revoking ownership of landed property in Abuja to anger Nigerians, cause Tinubu to be hated and portray the APC’s administration as wicked and anti-people. By the time Tinubu will realize it, it will be too late because Wike would have destroyed his government to make way for him to contest the post of President in 2027.
“All Wike is after good governance, he has started preparation for 2027 Presidency. So he’s very desperate and he will do everything to please Tinubu but at the same time he is going to destroy the government if they do not call him to order.
“If Wike loves Tinubu and believes in his administration, let him officially join the APC and become a card-carrying member of the party. But he has refused to do so because he wants to destroy the APC to enable him contest for Presidency in 2027 using the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He has refuse to defect to APC because of his evil agenda.
“Tinubu and APC should not only be wary but should urgently call on Wike to stop this madness in River State, otherwise, it will backfire.
“Wike campaigned for Fubara and claimed he was the best among all the other candidates for the governorship election. But suddenly, Fubara is now his enemy because Fubara is no longer taking directives from him being a dictator who is after Rivers’ money.”
Frank who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, also called on governors across party lines to rally support for their Rivers State counterpart in his bid to end Wike’s dictatorship and God-fatherism in Rivers State.
“If they allow Wike to succeed, to use federal might to illegally remove Fubara as governor, at the end of the day, sitting governors will become vegetables like local government chairmen in states because former governors who worked for their emergence as governors, will borrow a leaf of illegality from Wike to hound them out of office whenever they fail to do their bidding. So, it’s not all about the Rivers’ governor”, he said.
The activist called on Fubara to remain resolute and dogged in pushing back the evil machinations of Wike. He said he believed that at the end of the day light would triumph over darkness.
He called on him to reach out to the people of Rivers state across party lines to bring about genuine reconciliation and support in order to engender peace in the state.
Frank also called on Nigerians especially the people of Rivers State not to allow Wike to cause crisis in the state.
He advised them to stand firm against Wike’s dictatorial tendency in Rivers.