The presidential candidate of the defunct National Conscience Party, NCP, in the 2015 general election, Martin Onovo, says only President Bola Tinubu can end the political crisis in Rivers.
Onovo, an activist and Head of Policy Positions, Movement for Fundamental Change, MFC, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos.
He said the political crisis in the oil-rich state had lingered for too long, adding that the president’s intervention was needed to end it.
According to him, the crisis will end the moment the President calls the Minister of Federal Capital Territory and immediate past governor of Rivers, Nyesom Wike and talk to him on the need to end his rift with the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara
“Only Tinubu can stop the political crisis in Rivers. The President just needs to call Nyesom Wike and talk to him. The crisis will stop if Tinubu tells Wike to sheathe his sword.
“Wike is working with the President as a minister. I think the President can talk to him and his loyalists in River to maintain peace.
“All the President just needs is to tell the former governor of the state to concentrate on his work in Abuja and leave the affairs of Rivers to those running the state right now.
“That is all and Wike will listen. The minister knows what it means not to listen to the President. So, Tinubu can intervene in this matter,” he said.
Onovo described godfatherism as a problem in politics, saying it was affecting delivery of good governance and democratic dividends
According to the former NCP chieftain, the political space must be purged of godfatherism as it is a veritable source of instability.
NAN reports that Rivers has witnessed political tension lately owing to the rift between Wike and Fubara.
The rift has polarised the State House of Assembly with lawmakers loyal to both political gladiators electing different Speakers to lead the House.
Lawmakers loyal to Wike recently dumped the ruling PDP to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, while a couple of commissioners loyal to the minister have quit Fubara’s cabinet
