"It Is Unfortunate": Lawyer Reacts to Rivers Crisis

"It Is Unfortunate": Lawyer Reacts to Rivers Crisis

  • The Rivers political crisis has continued to generate condemnation from well-meaning Nigerians as every event turns violence
  • Bisi Afolabi, a lawyer who spoke with Legit.ng, described the development in Rivers as unfortunate
  • Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers started the rift with his predecessor and godfather soon after resuming office

The political crisis in Rivers State has continued to generate reactions from concerned Nigerians. This is as events have continued to be a new chapter of violence between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, Bisi Afolabi, a legal practitioner, described the development as unfortunate, adding that the situation between Governor Fubara and Wike was not peculiar only to Rivers.

Lawyer described the Rivers political crisis between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
Lawyer speaks on Rivers political crisis Photo Credit: @GovWike, @SimFubaraKSC
Source: Twitter

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Afolabi lamented that an elected officer was being circumvented politically, noting that the electoral malpractices and violence in the recently concluded local government election in the state were condemnable.

The lawyer told Legit.ng:

"The political development in Rivers State is unfortunate. However, it is merely a continuum of heightened political drama that the state has come to be known for over the years. It is more unfortunate that an individual who has been rightly elected by the people is being circumvented politically from carrying out his constitutional responsibilities.
"The news of rigging and electoral manipulation in the recent local government elections in the state is disheartening. However, the court is there to provide a platform for hearing and determining the grievances of parties in matters like these instead of taking the law into their own hands."

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When did Wike/Fubara's crisis

The rift is believed to have begun shortly after Fubara's inauguration, with Wike expressing dissatisfaction with the governor's appointments and decision-making process. One of the key issues fueling the rift is Wike's perceived marginalization in the Fubara administration.

Wike, who handed power over to Fubara, had expected to maintain significant influence in the state's politics. However, Fubara's removal of some Wike-appointed officials and the reversal of certain policies initiated by his predecessor have exacerbated the situation.

The implications of the rift are far-reaching, with potential consequences for the PDP's unity and electoral fortunes in Rivers State. Wike's influence in the state's politics remains significant, and his dissatisfaction with Fubara's leadership could lead to divisions within the party. Some analysts fear that the rift could create an opening for opposition parties, particularly the All Progressives Congress (APC), to gain traction in the state.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Bada Yusuf avatar

Bada Yusuf (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Yusuf Amoo Bada is an accomplished writer with 7 years of experience in journalism and writing, he is also politics and current affairs editor with Legit.ng. He holds B.A in Literature from OAU, and Diploma in Mass Comm. He has obtained certificates in Google's Advance Digital Reporting, News Lab workshop. He previously worked as an Editor with OperaNews. Legit’s Best Editor of the Year for Politics and Current Affairs Desk (2023). Contact: bada.yusuf.amoo@corp.legit.ng