By Ken Chiwendu
The Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP has said that the recent developments such as suspension of political appointees in the state under the emergency rule do not translate to any form of peace
Addressing a Press conference on Saturday, the party came hard on former Head of Service,Dr George Nwaeke,whom it described as a highly compromised fellow, aerial betrayal and a willing tool in the hands of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The party accused Nwaeke of spewing lies against Gov Siminilayi Fubara , the Ijaw Nation and others he mentioned in his interview.
The statement read;
Press Conference by Peoples Democratic Party PDP Rivers State in Response to an interview by Dr. George Nwaeke on Channels TV Friday 28 March 2025 against HE Sir (Dr) Siminalayi Fubara GSSRS, Executive Governor Rivers State
We have once again called you out this afternoon to keep you informed of development in our polity, inform Rivers People and indeed Nigerians of new twists, dangerous dimensions the state of Emergency has taken. Recall that on March 18, 2025, our dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR Proclaimed a State of Emergency on the state of Rivers, Suspended the Governor and State house of Assembly for a period of six months and appointed a Sole Administrator. The Purpose according to the President is to restore peace and order. But as we all know, there is no breakdown of Law and order in the state. The state is not under war, there is no threat of war or a natural Disaster that should warrant a declaration of a state of Emergency. Therefore the Sole Administrator since assumption of office has no work to do. The Administrator is merely engaged in dismantling all Governance Structure put in place by our Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Chief of Staff to Government house, Sacking of all Commissioners and Special advisers, Suspension of all Chairmen and Members of Boards and parastatals of Government, Suspension of Rivers State Council of Traditional rulers, and requesting head of Local Government Administration to submit nominal rolls and activities over the past 2 years. Are all these restoration of peace and order? The answer is NO.
Most recently the Head of Service, Dr George Nwaeke was forced to resign. Nwaeke highly Compromised and a Serial betrayer became a ready tool in the hands of the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, to carry out a Campaign of Calumny, Libel defamation and distortion of facts against our Governor and his team, the chairman of PDP Governors forum, Sen Bala Mohammed Bauchi State Governor, Ijaw nation, Militants etc. By my own assessment Nwaeke is not under any Spell nor under duress. He is a career civil servant in the civil service of Rivers State, whose career spans over 40 years’ service in the state civil service. He rose to the apex of the civil service. Therefore he knows exactly what he has done. Mr. Nwaeke procured flight ticket from Phc-Abj, left his house on his own, boarded his flight, landed in Abuja and headed straight to his destination.
One will begin to wonder at this point, what exactly did Amaewhule and his colleagues want from the Governor and Government of our dear state and indeed Rivers people. The Supreme Court has given them all they asked for, including reliefs they did not seek. What else do they want? Perhaps “THE HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST”. It is simply not available.
In the light of the above,
We call on our dear Governor Sir (Dr) Siminalayi Fubara GSSRS, Executive Governor of Rivers State to fully implement the Supreme Court Judgment:
- By conducting Local Government Election. Again, you have graciously implemented this order by Dissolving the 23 Local Government Councils and fixing a fresh election for Saturday, August 9, 2025.
- Allow full sitting of 32 members House of Assembly with Rt. Hon Martins Amaewhule presiding as Speaker. Again, you have graciously implemented this order by allowing the House to sit and Amaewhule presiding as speaker.
- Re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill, once again you have demonstrated full commitment to represent the 2025 budget.
i) In your first visit to the House of Assembly to represent the Budget, you were denied access into the House of Assembly by Amaewhule and his colleagues.
ii) You have again chosen Wednesday, the 19th day of March 2025, to represent the 2025 budget. We urge you to keep to this commitment and represent the budget on the scheduled date.
iii) As to the issue of Impeachment Notice to You and your deputy, we urge you to give it less attention, as it is not part of the Supreme Court Judgment.
To Rt. Hon Martins Amaewhule and the 26 other lawmakers:
i) We urge you to embrace peace, as peace is the only path to progress.
ii) Work towards the full implementation of the Supreme Court judgment; including:
(1) Playing a key role in the forthcoming Local Government election.
(2) Accepting the representation of the 2025 Appropriation Bill (Budget) by the Governor, scheduled for Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
(4) Drop and or withdraw your impeachment Notice to the Governor and his Deputy, as it’s not part of the Supreme Court judgment and it cannot bring progress to the State.
To our former Governor and current Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, We call on you to ensure there’s peace in Rivers State and guarantee a good working relationship between the Executive and legislative arm of Government, which you once enjoyed in your 8 years as Governor of our dear State.
To our party supporters and Rivers people:
Peace is the only path to progress. Continue to maintain peace, continue to trust our Governor and keep faith with the Government of the State.
- Gentlemen of the press, Nwaeke claimed the Governor wants to blow up pipelines and oil facilities in the state, starting with non Ijaw nation areas. Again Nwaeke lied. Since Fubara assumed office in May 29, 2023, there has been no incidence of bombing in any oil facility or national asset in the state. Nwaeke should also tell Rivers people and Nigerians why the Governor has not commenced the blowing of pipelines and other national assets up to date.
- Dr. Nwaeke also lied against labour unions in the state. The Fubara administration is labour friendly, since assumption of office, he has cleared all backlog of promotion, given them Christmas bonus over the past 2 Christmas, as well as employment of young Graduates into the civil service. As a result of the above, Fubara enjoys cordial relationships with all labour unions in the state.
- His claim that Fubara set aside huge sums of money to pay the media to market him as well as his Government is also a lie. We all know that Fubara is not a media personality. What markets Fubara is his projects, labour friendliness, as well as his positive attitude towards the civil servants and the citizens.
- Dr. Nwaeke claim that Ijaw’s are hostile and vandals is also a lie. The Ijaw’s are the fourth largest ethnic Group in Nigeria. Peaceful. In fact they produce the most peaceful President in the history of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan. The black Gold (crude Oil) sits on their soil, and they are being cheated by the Nigerian nation. This does not make them hostile and wicked.
- Nwaeke claimed he sleeps in Government house sometimes. Again it’s a lie. There is no Guest house in Government house where Nwaeke will sleep. His office is not in Government house, neither is he the chief of staff to Government house.
- He equally urged Rivers elders and people to review their support for the Governor. A Serial betrayer has no locus to advice others. Rivers elders and people know Sim, he conducts Government business in the open and transparently, therefore their support for him is sacrosanct.
Conclusion:
Dr. George Nwaeke is a compromised fellow, who has decided like Judas Iscariot to betray his master with a “blood dollar.” Like Judas, he will regret his action and end up committing suicide. The dollar he took will be used to build an orphanage in his hometown, Omuma. We call on the President to see the desperation of his minister, Nyesom Wike. We equally call on him to disregard all the bogus claims made by Nwaeke. The script was written by Nyesom Wike, and given to George Nwaeke to read. All on a bid to make you lose confidence in Governor Sim Fubara.
We also call on our Governor and his team, to continue to remain calm and maintain peace in the state. The Governor should equally find a place in his heart to forgive George and all who conspire against you, God will at his own time pay each man according to the work of his hands. To Rivers people and indeed Nigerians, continue to trust the Governor and have confidence in him.
Thanks and God bless
Long Live Siminilayi Fubara,
Long Live Rivers State,
Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria
