A group called the One Rivers Initiative (ORI), which works to protect all rivers, strongly disagrees with the recent threats made by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike. The group said Wike was wrong to try to make states less stable whose leaders support Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, even though there are already political problems in the state. The ORI spoke out against Wike’s plan, saying it was an attempt to bring Rivers State and Nigeria back to a time of absolute and autocratic government.
Someone with a lot of influence in Rivers State politics, Wike, has been criticised for being rude to Governor Fubara and other state leaders. The ORI said Wike’s threats are a clear breach of democratic principles, stressing that no one should have unlimited power or try to weaken the authority of elected officials. The group was worried that Wike’s actions could make Rivers State’s government less stable, which is important for the state’s growth and the health of its people.
In their statement, ORI made it clear that the political impasse in Rivers State needs to be solved peacefully and through discussion, not through threats or intimidation. The group asked Wike to think about what he did and work with others to settle political disagreements in the state. According to ORI, using threats to make people afraid only makes things worse and could lead to violence or unrest, which would be bad for the state and the country as a whole.
The ORI also said that Governor Fubara has the power to rule because he was chosen by the people of Rivers State. They made it clear that any attempt to bring down his government would be against democracy and the will of the people. The group also stressed how important it was to value the governor’s office, even if people had personal or political disagreements with them. They also asked all politicians to put the state’s needs ahead of their own.
The ORI also said they were worried about Wike’s power at the national level, since he is the FCT Minister right now. They asked the federal government to step in and make sure that no federal official abuses their power to get involved in state issues. The group said that the separation of powers between the federal government and the state governments is important for keeping Nigeria’s federal system and making sure that no one person has too much power over more than one level of government.
In Rivers State, many political observers agree with what the ORI said and have also voiced worries about Wike’s aggressive behaviour. Some people say that his way of doing things reminds them of a time when only a few people held a lot of political power. Nigeria has since moved away from that system in favour of democracy and the rule of law.
As things get worse in Rivers State, the ORI wants everyone to stay calm and talk things out in a constructive way so that the current political situation can be solved. The group said again that it would stand up for democratic principles and protect the rights of people in Rivers State. They also said that going back to autocratic rule would be bad for the state and the country as a whole.