Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has been asked to retire by Chief Tony Okocha, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) caretaker committee, due to his purported incapacity to rule the people of the state.
Okocha, who also serves as Rivers State’s representative on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board, made the announcement Wednesday while speaking to reporters at the party’s Port Harcourt secretariat.
The Rivers State government reacted quickly, calling Fubara the best thing to happen to the state and claiming Okocha was out of touch with local affairs.
“Chief Tony Okocha has lost touch with the happenings in the State,” stated Warisenibo Joe Johnson, Commissioner for Information and Communications, in a short messaging service (SMS).
“The majority of Rivers residents are grateful for Governor Sim Fubara’s ability to rewrite the state’s political history, and he is the best thing that has happened to the state.”
The loud approach he was accustomed to is no longer the best one. The revival fire is spreading over all 23 LGAs while we rebuild the entire state.
Okocha charged Fubara of operating the state without a budget and neglecting to activate the mechanisms set up to hold the state’s local government elections, both of which are violations of the Nigerian constitution.
In addition, the APC chairman charged that the governor had violated the state constitution by refusing to provide the 23 LGAs with their monthly allotment.
According to Okocha, the governor lacks the authority to deny the state’s twenty-three local government councils their monthly allotment.
“It was improper for the governor to meet with the heads of local government administration to discuss employee salaries without consulting the chairmen of the local government.
“The governor is the only person in charge. He is not in collaboration with the LGA chairmen, the State Executive Council, or the Rivers State House of Assembly since he doesn’t conduct meetings.
“There is no governance in Rivers State. The present administration is clueless and has no direction. Governor Siminalayi Fubara has strayed from the platform of unity and stability that propelled him to office.