Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara, has called for responsible political conduct in the state following the recent arson attack on the Ikwerre Local Government Council Secretariat in Isiokpo. The facility was set ablaze by political thugs suspected to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in the wake of the contested local government elections. Fubara delivered his remarks during a visit to the council’s premises, where he assessed the extensive damage caused by the attack.
Governor Fubara, who had just returned from Akwa Ibom, where he joined fellow South-South governors and members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to pay condolences to Governor Umo Eno, expressed his disappointment and sadness over the incident. “I am just coming in from Akwa Ibom where the Governors of the South-South and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum went to pay condolences to our brother, the Governor of Akwa Ibom, who lost his wife. So, I said it will be proper to come and see for myself the incident that took place in Ikwerre Local Government Council Secretariat,” Fubara said.
Expressing dismay over the destruction, the governor urged political actors in the state to practice politics with a sense of responsibility. “I feel very sad seeing what has just happened in this Council. I want to say this to the entire Rivers State: If you are called upon, play your politics with a sense of responsibility. We don’t need to kill ourselves. My time will come, and I will leave; do I need to burn the Government House?”
Fubara went on to highlight the significance of the Ikwerre Council Secretariat as a legacy project, emphasizing the efforts of the immediate past chairman in securing funds to build the facility. “This Council Secretariat was built by the immediate past chairman, and for me, we know the history of this council, how he sought for funds, and how it was executed. This is supposed to be a legacy project for him, something future leaders would look at and remember his contributions. But look at what we are seeing today. Must we go so low in politics?”
The attack on the council comes just after a highly contested local government election in which the Action Peoples Party (APP) won the majority of the seats, leading to heightened tensions between political factions in the state. Newly elected council chairmen were sworn in on Sunday, but reports surfaced of threats to prevent them from accessing their respective offices. According to Fubara, the situation escalated early Monday morning when security personnel, acting on the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), vacated the premises to allow the newly elected officials to assume office. The attackers took advantage of the security vacuum to destroy government facilities.
“There was an election on Saturday, the new Council Chairmen were inaugurated yesterday (Sunday). We are aware of the boasting that they would not be allowed to access the secretariats. And we were happy in the early hours of this morning when the Inspector General of Police (IGP) directed his men to vacate the premises for easy access for the newly elected officers to resume office; and immediately, they took advantage of that space to destroy government facilities,” the governor recounted.
Fubara expressed frustration that public funds, which could have been allocated to other essential services, would now have to be used to repair the damaged council building. “Who is the loser? The new Council Chairmen that are coming in, the funds that would be applied to other things would now be used to fix this place. Are we not really acting as irresponsible people?” he asked.
He condemned the attack as an act of irresponsibility and questioned the motives of those behind it. “This is an act of irresponsibility! Even if one advises you to go and destroy a government facility, are you not supposed to think twice?”
Governor Fubara hinted that the attack was politically motivated, asserting that everyone knew its source. While he refrained from directly accusing Wike, the veiled reference to his supporters was clear. “We all know where this is coming from, that is the truth. Everybody knows that this is not from my supporters. But, I leave all to the security agencies to do a thorough investigation and let us know the people behind this assault.”
Fubara concluded by calling on security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible for the destruction. He reiterated the need for peaceful political engagement in Rivers State, urging political leaders to avoid inciting violence and destruction in pursuit of power.
