Niger Delta activist, Asari Dokubo, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is supporting Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in his ongoing political feud with Siminalayi Fubara, the Governor of Rivers State.
Rivers State has been embroiled in a political crisis stemming from a power struggle between Wike and Fubara, leading to divisions in the state house of assembly and incidents of violence, including the burning of local government secretariats.
During an interview on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, Dokubo expressed his concerns about Tinubu’s perceived support for Wike, stating that such actions could lead to dire consequences if Fubara is removed from office.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is supporting Nyesom Wike to destabilise the state and disturb its peace,” Dokubo claimed. “They are trying to say, ‘We are going to remove Fubara, and nothing is going to happen.’ But I’m saying if you remove Fubara, something will happen.”
Dokubo criticized Wike’s influence in Rivers State, accusing the minister of using his position to “procure judgments” and destabilize the political environment in the state.
In the same interview, Dokubo expressed his disapproval of President Tinubu’s decision to scrap the Niger Delta ministry. On October 23, Tinubu replaced the ministry with a Ministry of Regional Development, which now oversees various regional development commissions, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and others.
Dokubo called the decision a betrayal of the Niger Delta people, stating, “There has been this culture in Nigeria of trying to surcharge the people of the Niger Delta. Taking and robbing us of our gains.”
Despite his personal grievances, Dokubo affirmed his continued loyalty to President Tinubu, acknowledging Tinubu’s past support for him and stating that he would stand by the president even in times of difficulty.