The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, as the cause of the violence that has followed the conduct of local government elections in the state on Saturday.
Wike while speaking on Channels TV on Tuesday said he was not at the state during the election and that he did not know those who were shouting his name in solidarity while unleashing mayhem on the people.
Recall that the Saturday’s local government elections in the state led to the burning of several local government Secretariats and the killings of over three persons.
Violence began after Fubara insisted the elections must be conducted despite protests from the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, both of which are controlled by Wike.
Although he said he’s a PDP member, he’s serving in the APC-led government.
The FCT minister insisted that if Fubara had not gone ahead with the election, there would not have been violence on the people by his associates and supporters.
He said, “Who is the perpetrator of the violence? I am not blaming the Governor, but he is the architect of the violence in the state.
“Did you see my supporters causing mayhem? Those shouting No Wike, No Rivers, is not my business.
“I was in Abuja and not in Rivers on the day of the election”, Wike said.
He explained that, “I was a governor, I have always obeyed the rule of law. You heard the governor say that our state is turning into a state of anarchy where people do not obey the rule of law.
“You must obey the judgement of the court. You must not take the law into your own hands.
“The moment you don’t obey court judgement, you are inviting anarchy, you are inviting violence,” Wike said.