Wike’s wrath unleashed as Tinubu’s peace gambit sparks more fury in Rivers

In a tumultuous clash of political titans, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has ignited a storm of criticism against Rivers State elders for rejecting President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the explosive showdown between Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The battleground? The oil-rich state of Rivers, where Wike, a former governor, and his successor, Fubara, have plunged into a fierce struggle for political dominance, tearing the state legislature into warring factions.

President Tinubu, attempting to quell the chaos, convened a high-stakes meeting at the Presidential Villa just a week ago—a second such attempt in less than two months. The outcome? An 8-point peace deal, hailed by some and rejected by the Rivers Elders Forum, who decried it as “one-sided” and a violation of the Nigerian Constitution.

Speaking at a Sunday Thanksgiving service, Wike lashed out at the elders, cautioning against involvement in political battles without understanding the root cause. He lambasted the rejection of Tinubu’s peace terms and criticized the elders for questioning the constitutional authority of the President.

In a fiery rebuke, Wike recounted past encounters with elders who sought to thwart his political ambitions, accusing them of seeking vengeance. He urged politicians to play by the rules and slammed the elders for rejecting the peace deal they had initially solicited.

Rivers State, already plunged into political turmoil since late October, witnessed an attempted impeachment, a bombed assembly complex, and a factional defection of lawmakers. President Tinubu’s intervention, intended to bring about peace, has instead intensified the chaos.

As Wike’s wrath reverberates, the nation watches the drama unfold in Rivers State, where political alliances shatter and conflicts escalate, leaving a trail of uncertainty and a looming question: Can President Tinubu’s peace deal truly bring order to the chaos in Rivers?