The Grassroots Democratic Initiative (GDI), a group that carries out political campaigns for Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has faulted the reception that supporters of Rivers State governor, Siminialayi Fubara, accorded him at the Omagwa International Airport, Omagwa.
The president-general of GDI, Bright Amaewhule, said that Fubara should not have allowed such a reception, arguing that the gathering of his supporters at the airport could cause division, rather than help solidify peace in the state.
Recall that thousands of Fubara’s supporters had stormed the airport to receive him a day after waiting for hours at the Government House, Port Harcourt, only to later find out that he was out of the country.
The same supporters from the state’s 23 local government areas had headed to the airport the next day to welcome the governor back to work, following him to the Government House, Port Harcourt, where the governor addressed them.
The reception at the airport was organised by Fubara loyalists, mainly former council chairmen who served in his administration before the Supreme Court judgement that annulled their election.
But Amaewhule, a Wike loyalist, who became GDI boss during the second term of then Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, in a radio programme in Port Harcourt, said that Fubara supporters should have allowed him to head straight to the Government House without putting up any drama at the airport.
He added that it was the duty of the governor to reach out across to the people of the state irrespective of their leaning and talk to them, stressing that the governor of Rivers is not for a particular.
Amaewhule, who was one of the strong critics of the governor throughout the crisis that led to President Bola Tinubu’s imposition of a state of emergency, wondered why Fubara’s supporters did not flock to the Rivers State House of Assembly to welcome the lawmakers.
The GDI boss said, “I think that Governor Fubara should not have permitted such a gathering. They would have allowed the governor to resume office. They would have allowed the governor to call for a gathering to address Rivers’ people.
“Why didn’t they go to receive the Assembly members. The Assembly members had also announced their resumption. Why didn’t go to receive them instead of being sentimental…The governor of Rivers State is not for a particular group. It is for the people of Rivers State.”
Amaewhule also said that the supporters of Fubara acted in a way that suggests they don’t want the governor to succeed, stressing the need “avoid problem.”
