Denounce assault on democracy in Rivers, group tells Tinubu

Progressives Yoruba Youth Congress, a socio-political group, has asked President Bola Tinubu to call minister of federal capital territory, Nyesom Wike, to order over the ranging political crisis in Rivers state.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, the President of the Progressives Yoruba Youth Congress, Akintunde Adedeji, said the president should openly denounce the assault on democracy in Rivers and direct that all government institutions act according to the law.

The congress asked Tinubu to insist that Wike either chooses to remain as FCT Minister or return to Rivers.

It said: “Where Wike continues to be recalcitrant and refuses to let peace reign in Rivers State, he should be relieved of his ministerial position so that he can return to Rivers State and concentrate on local state politics without dragging President Tinubu’s name into the mess he is making.

“Additionally, we call on the 27 former Rivers State House of Assembly members to seek proper legal guidance on the choices available to them going forward since it appears they are not beneficiaries of sound legal counsel based on their past and ongoing actions. We say this because the rest of Nigeria will hold them individually and collectively liable, with Wike their boss, for any breach of the peace in Nigeria arising from their misadventure.

“We appeal to the judiciary to note that it remains the hope of the Nigerian masses and the bulwark against the descent of dictatorship and Fascism as being championed by Wike and some undemocratic elements in some other states.

“The judiciary must make it clear that is it not for hire. The National Judicial Council (NJC) must particularly ensure that it sanctions any judicial officer that lends their court for judicial shopping by the parties to the Rivers State crisis.

“NJC must remind the lower courts that they cannot overturn Supreme Court rulings on any matter. For this, we urge Justice Donatus Okorowo to get to the bottom of how and why they linked his name to being open to inducement so that those who peddled the insinuation would be held to account.

“Finally, we advise Wike to note that he is treading a fine line between politicking and treason in his bid to enforce a political agreement that has no place in law. Had he paid attention to the courses he took in Business Law, he would have known that agreements that contravene the law are criminal and are not enforceable.

“He was naïve to have expected that he could teleguide his successor on the strength of a cultish agreement. We conclude by appealing to President Tinubu that silence is no longer golden in this Rivers State matter. He must give specific orders to Wike to stop fomenting trouble.”

The congress said the unfolding scenario in Rivers State of great concern because of its capacity to undermine other parts of the country.