Fubara should be allowed to ‘recalibrate’ state, says Ex-Rivers commissioner, throw jabs at Wike
A former Commissioner for Information in Rivers State, Austin Tam-George, has accused Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), of conspiring to destabilize the state.
Rivers State has been making headlines for several months, particularly in the lead-up to the local government elections, with heightened attention in recent weeks. Tensions have risen between Wike and Governor Sim Fubara since last year, drawing the state into the spotlight.
Tam-George alleges that Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, is attempting to create instability in the state for Fubara’s administration.
“I’m very disappointed in what the minister is doing. He’s the one orchestrating this. He’s the one who has set forth a process to destabilise the state,” the former commissioner who served under Wike’s administration said on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
“I was commissioner for information in the previous administration and so I’m highly disappointed in the minister. What I expected him to do was to, you know, focus on his mandate.”
Wike, appointed as the FCT minister last year, has been in dispute with Fubara. Attempts to settle the duo have so far not yielded results.
Following the Supreme Court judgement on local government autonomy, the Federal Government mandated states to conduct elections for councils.
But in Rivers State, Fubara’s move to organise the polls was shrouded in controversy. He accused some persons of working against him and vowed to conduct the polls which later happened last weekend.
Tam-George is, however, unhappy with the controversies that greeted the election with the police not providing security. According to him, since Wike has a duty as the FCT minister, the former Rivers State governor should focus on that duty.
“He’s got a clear administrative mandate in the FCT. The FCT has one of the worst public schools in Nigeria.
“He has a full plate there in order to deliver service. But he’s not doing that. Instead, he’s focusing on how to destabilise River State, and obviously, Rivers people are going to resist him every time.
“What I expected the FCT minister to do was to say, ‘Look, I’ve had my time in government. Now, I’ve got to focus on what I have in Abuja’,” the former commissioner said.
“So, what the governor is doing now is to try to recalibrate the system, to make sure that he brings effective administration to the state. So, for God’s sake, let us allow Governor Fala to do his work,” he said.