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By Godwin Chukwumaechi, Port Harcourt
Following the crisis that erupted across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State on Tuesday over control of the councils, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state.
The call was made by the APC Caretaker Committee chairman in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, while addressing journalists on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Okocha declared that the state was currently at war, adding that the dramatis persona were Gov. Siminalayi Fubara versus himself (the governor).
He warned that if the crisis is allowed to escalate, it would definitely affect the economy of Nigeria considering the position of the state in the country.
The APC Caretaker Committee chairman, said; “Rivers State is at war, there is a war in Rivers State and the actors are Sim versus Sim. Those are the dramatis personae in the war”.
He explained that following the mayhem and the tension caused by supporters of the governor across the state he was advised to move out of the hospital where he was receiving treatment for a minor ailment.
“We are not part of this ongoing war in Rivers State”, Okocha stated and also absolved the innocent citizens of the state.
Declaring that Gov. Fubara was unteachable, he stressed, “If he (Fubara) disobeyed the President who else will teach him? I want to use this opportunity to demand that it is too late to cry when the head is cut off. The boys have been let loose, the drugs have been let loose “.
He added; “The APC is asking, demanding for a state of emergency in Rivers State. I’m saying this because it will be too late to cry when the head is off. We are at war and the indicators are very clear. Best bet for Rivers State as we speak today is state of emergency. Let the army take over the administration of the state”.
Meanwhile, Darlington Nwauju, Rivers State APC’s Congressionally-elected spokesperson, has dissociated the faction of the party loyal to former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi from the call.
He said that the call for a state of emergency in the state was not the best strategy or formula to nip in the bud the political crisis in Rivers State.
Reacting to call by the Caretaker Committee chairman, Nwauju stated that Rivers State must have other means to settle its internal political issues.
He said in a statement made available to our correspondent in Port Harcourt; “My attention has been called to an address made today by persons who are parading themselves as members of the Caretaker Committee of the APC in Rivers State demanding for a state of emergency in our dear Rivers State.
“I wish to quickly inform the public that the APC in Rivers State did not at any point in time hold any meetings among its members or consultations among its leaders to decide that at this point in time that the best strategy of formula to nip in the bud the political crisis in Rivers State is to demand for a state of emergency.
“There were no such consultations, there were no such meeting and so it cannot stand as the aggregate opinion of membership of the APC across the 319 wards of Rivers State.
“So I want to quickly dispel such a rumour, dismiss it as unnecessary, illogical and unpatriotic. Rivers State must have other means to settle this internal political issues”.