‘Rivers didn’t witness development under your watch’ — Wike’s aide knocks Rufus Ada George

Lere Olayinka, the senior special assistant on public communications and social media to Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has criticised Rufus Ada George, a former governor of Rivers state.

Olayinka challenged the former governor to list “a single positive development he brought to the state”.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Olayinka said the only impact linked to Ada George in Rivers was the introduction of the “Bush Boys” militant group, which he allegedly used to settle political scores in the state.

He questioned Ada George’s relationship with Peter Odili, his former deputy, after leaving office in 1993.

The minister’s spokesperson said the former governor did not support Odili’s governorship bids in 1999 and 2003.

He also alleged that Ada George was supporting Siminalayi Fubara, the suspended governor of Rivers state, in what he described as a “regime of lawlessness”.

“That’s the person of Ada George, who was among those who took side with the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara when he threw rule of law to the dogs and was boasting that the State House of Assembly and its members existed only because he wanted them to exist,” the statement reads.

“He never for once told Fubara the truth that it was illegal to run a House of Assembly of 32 members with just three members and that it is the height of wickedness to deny fellow indigenes of Rivers State their entitlements, thereby making it difficult for them  to feed and take care of their wives and children.”

Olayinka advised Ada George to be circumspect and stop “advertising shamelessness at old age.”

“Today, at close to 85 years, the same Ada George, who was urging Fubara on in his regime of lawlessness, is addressing the press and advertising his shamelessly by accusing the FCT minister of being behind the political crisis in Rivers State, including the imposition of a state of emergency and the appointment of sole administrators in all 23 local government areas,” he said.

“One wonders where he kept his position as an elder when members of the State House of Assembly, who are indigenes of Rivers State were deprived of their salary and other entitlements by Fubara.

“Also, did the same Ada George, not say that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a ‘meddlesome interloper who engaged in executive rascality by intervening in the crisis and reaching amicable resolutions that all parties signed?”