Abuja, Nigeria – Omo! The political drama for Rivers State no be small matter. Suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara don carry himself waka enter Abuja to meet him political mentor and former padi, Nyesom Wike. This meeting happen earlier this week, and e get plenty people sabi say dem dey hope say President Bola Tinubu go soon lift the state of emergency wey don dey disturb Rivers State.
But no be only hope wey dey for ground, o! Inside talks wey dem never officially announce, insiders talk say dem dey try settle matter wey don turn into wahala for Rivers. You know how e be—when two lions dey talk, matter fit go any direction (and dem no dey carry small pikin matter).
Fubara people, especially dem wey dey call themselves The Simplified Family, don dey expect make President Tinubu drop the bombshell during him Democracy Day speech for National Assembly. But abeg, na wetin happen? Instead, Tinubu just carry letter go Senate, dey request make dem confirm appointments for the emergency administrator, Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ibas. Fubara supporters vex scatter as dem no hear anything beta for the president mouth about the Rivers wahala during him speech.
Senator Seriake Dickson come join dem vex as he don call Tinubu’s silence as ‘undemocratic’. E liken the current situation to military rule wey no go allow Rivers citizens catch small breath. Na wetin we go call am? Speculation or reality-check? Because e sweet for mouth sha!
But no be all lawmakers go gree with Dickson. Rep. Kingsley Chinda lead the Rivers National Assembly caucus as dem dey fire back. Chinda talk say, ‘Rivers no be under military rule. The person wey dey manage am na retired naval officer, just like how Senator Dickson na retired police corporal. Make we no deceive ourselves!’ The man dey try reason am, but we know say Nigerian politics no be for reason.
As Fubara dey look for reconciliation, plenty key stakeholders wey dey support Wike don dey feel sidelined. Elder statesmen wey don follow Fubara go election dey jump legit talk, like OCJ Okocha and Ferdinand Alabraba. E be like say wahala fit continue if Fubara no carry dem along. Dr. Chidi Lloyd, former Emohua LGA chairman, don yan say, ‘Nothing to celebrate if e no resolve the core issues before he return.’
And no be only Fubara dey catch fire; Senator Dickson don turn target too for critics who dey remind am of all the ‘undemocratic’ moves wey e do when e be Bayelsa governor, like ignoring opposition lawmakers and trying to intimidate judiciary members. Timi Agala-Omubo, Bayelsa Assembly member, don shout say ‘Dickson dey show double standards. He no fit make noise when e self don block opposition before!’
As Rivers State dey waka through this political stone maze, we still dey ask, ‘What be next move for Rivers?’ Without clear resolution, the state fit dey suffer governance paralysis. State budget still dey hang, and if Fubara enter position without the right support, e go scatter everything more than before. A former Ijaw Youth Council leader don warn say any return to power must follow honest reconciliation. If dem no fix am, wahala no go end.
As we dey watch all dis as e dey unfold like telenovela, all eyes go remain on Abuja. Na the next move wey go determine if peace go reign or we go enter deeper crise for one of Naija most politically volatile states. We d hope for beta, but we know say wahala dey always ready to show face at any time.
