Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has accused President Bola Tinubu of using emergency rule in Rivers State as a tactic to intimidate governors into supporting his 2027 re-election bid. Amaechi, a former Rivers State governor, also asserted that the conflict between suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike stems from disputes over financial allocations. Amaechi, in an interview with DW Africa, deemed Tinubu’s actions unconstitutional, arguing that they create fear among governors.
He specifically stated Fubara bears no security responsibility for the state’s crisis and is being unjustly punished. “It is between the president and the FCT minister. The president wants a power grab. They want to frighten governors who may not support them in 2027,” Amaechi said. He also called for Rivers State residents to “resist the president” through democratic protests. Addressing the Fubara-Wike feud, Amaechi claimed, “The fight between the current governor of Rivers State and the FCT minister is about sharing money. If not, what is the quarrel?”1
He further criticized the state of democracy in Rivers State, alleging it is under “military rule.” He stated that the president acted outside of constitutional guidelines. Meanwhile, the political turmoil in Rivers State persists, with Fubara, former Head of Service (HoS) Dr. George Nwaeke, and his wife, Florence Nwaeke, embroiled in a dispute over allegations that Fubara orchestrated the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex in 2023. Dr. Nwaeke accused Fubara of masterminding the assembly bombing and attacks on oil pipelines.
Shortly after, his wife, Florence, claimed her husband was coerced into making these statements, alleging he was pressured to implicate Fubara in a 15 billion Naira fraud. She stated he was invited to Abuja and forced to make the statement. However, Nwaeke later refuted his wife’s claims, asserting he voluntarily went to Abuja to report to security agencies and that his wife was misled. Fubara, through his Chief of Staff and in a personal statement, dismissed Nwaeke’s accusations as fabricated, claiming the former HoS was compromised.
Fubara denied any involvement in attacks on oil pipelines or meetings with militants, stating that he has always promoted peace in the state. Professor Itotenaan Henry Ogiri, the federal commissioner accused by Mrs. Nwaeke of inviting her husband to Abuja, also denied the allegations, stating he has had minimal contact with Dr. Nwaeke.
