Says minister’s rhetoric on Rivers inflammatory, dangerous

The former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has advised President Bola Tinubu to call the former Rivers State Governor and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to order so that peace can reign.

George, in a statement he released on Thursday, 13 March 2025, said the rhetoric coming from Wike on the Rivers crisis is too inflammatory, dangerous, and embarrassing.

Reacting to Wike’s media parley after Tinubu met Niger Delta leaders and told them to find lasting peace for the political crisis in Rivers, George said Wike’s outburst ‘completely rubbished everything Tinubu tried to achieve. Unless the President is not telling us the whole truth, because I don’t know why I would be President and a minister would embarrass my administration publicly that way.’

George said: ‘As a country, Rivers State is the centre of our economic activity and financial strength. What is going on now is not the fastest track to peace. If a crisis starts, it will not only affect Wike but everybody. I am talking as a soldier and a general. Wike is talking too much, saying many things at the same time which are not necessary.

‘When he was governor for eight years, did he tolerate opposing views? Is it because Governor Fubara is a gentleman that he is trying to rubbish him? He said he helped Fubara to become governor. Is he saying nobody helped him to become governor in 2015? Did he drop from the sky? Somebody made him a council chairman, Chief of Staff, and minister. Later, somebody helped him to become governor. Today, somebody helped him to become a minister. So, what exactly is he talking about?

‘I watched him, and I am still wondering what exactly Wike is trying to achieve by heating the polity. The questions I want to ask Tinubu, based on Wike’s rhetoric, are: “Is Wike the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces? Is he the Chief Justice of Nigeria or Chief Judge of Rivers State? Is he the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly? Does he control all the forces in the state?”

‘When he talks, he attributes so much imaginary power to himself to the extent that people are now confused about who exactly is in charge between Tinubu and Wike.

‘Has Wike fought a war before? What game exactly is Tinubu playing in this Rivers crisis? What exactly is going on? I am raising this alarm because history has taught us that you only know the beginning of a crisis—you don’t know where it will end.

‘Wike talks as if he controls everybody in Nigeria, including Tinubu. I have never seen anything like this in my life. He is becoming an embarrassment in this Rivers crisis.

‘Tinubu saw the dimension the Lagos House of Assembly crisis was heading, which was why he quickly invited the lawmakers to Abuja. This is the time for him to also invite Fubara and Rivers lawmakers to a meeting immediately.

‘I spoke with many elders in the state, and I know what they told me. Wike is like a son to me. Why is he embarrassing himself this way? He also said Governor Fubara was defrauded by some people who collected money from him to bribe Supreme Court judges. Do you have proof?

‘What exactly was the essence of that live broadcast he did? To tell Nigerians he is tough, that he has money, that he controls the politics of Rivers State? Which minister pays for a live broadcast just to prove that he or she is a godfather or godmother in his or her state?

‘A few hours before, the President met Niger Delta leaders in Abuja and told them to find a solution to the crisis. So, with that media parley, is he telling all of us he is more powerful and knowledgeable than Tinubu? That nobody can control him?

‘Why is the President allowing Wike to mess him up this way? What is the meaning of “if they (lawmakers) impeach Fubara, nothing will happen”? Is Wike God? We fought a civil war. I am a soldier, a general. How I wish General Benjamin Adekunle were alive—I would have begged him to tell Wike the horrors of war.

‘What Wike is doing is completely unnecessary and unacceptable. It is only somebody who doesn’t know what he is doing who will be beating the drum of war. I appeal to his wife, Madam Justice Eberechi Wike, to appeal to her husband to please calm down.

‘That the people of Rivers State are not talking doesn’t mean they don’t know what they are doing. During the civil war, I know what happened between Bonny and Port Harcourt. Wike should please calm down.

‘This is the season of Lent. There is what is called forgiveness. I am advising Wike, like a father to a son, that he should read the masterpiece written by Professor Chidi Odinkalu on this matter. There is no way anybody can fault his conclusion.

‘If Tinubu can’t talk to him, we have elders in the PDP who will tell Wike the truth, and that is exactly what I am doing now.

‘The First Republic crisis started like this in Ibadan in 1962. The Second Republic crisis also started like this in the old Ondo State in 1983. I see what is going on in Rivers as an APC game plan to take power by force, and I am advising Tinubu to call Wike to order immediately,’ he said. (Daily Sun)