WIKE, FUBARA SUPPORTERS CLASH AT TOWN HALL MEETING IN PORT HARCOURT

There was heightened political tension in Port Harcourt on Friday as a town hall meeting aimed at addressing the lingering political crisis in Rivers State descended into chaos. The event, which drew a cross-section of Rivers natives, residents, and political stakeholders, quickly turned sour as supporters of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and those of the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara clashed publicly.

The town hall, which had been convened to give citizens a platform to air their concerns and contribute to the state’s reconciliation process, ended up amplifying the very divisions it sought to heal. While participants were initially allowed to speak freely, it did not take long before deep-seated animosities surfaced and the atmosphere turned volatile.

GDI President’s Remarks Spark Outrage

The fuse was lit when Bright Amaewhule, President-General of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), a political group aligned with Wike, took the stage. Amaewhule credited GDI, and not Wike, for championing Fubara’s candidacy, declaring that “there’s no indigene of Rivers State that will not recognize the role GDI played in the emergence of Sim Fubara as governor.”

He accused unnamed individuals, now loyal to the governor, of manipulating him to disavow those who helped him rise. “Even when those who now came around him after he had become governor, asking him not to listen to any other person… these were the problems,” Amaewhule said. His comments visibly upset some attendees, most notably the Rivers State Labour Party Chairperson, Hilda Dokubo, who stood up and stormed out, saying, “I can’t sit here and listen to this.” Organizers later persuaded her to return.

Accusations and Counteraccusations Escalate Tensions

As the town hall resumed, Mr. Kenwell Ibanibo, another speaker, fired back at Amaewhule’s claims. He questioned the motive behind the early impeachment plot against Governor Fubara just five months into his tenure. “Somebody somewhere who thinks he’s the owner of Rivers State took this position and influenced the impeachment,” he alleged, referring to Wike in all but name.

These comments drew instant reaction from Wike’s supporters, led by the factional Rivers APC Chairman, Chibike Ikenga. Interruptions and shouting matches erupted in the hall, with heated verbal jabs being exchanged. One Wike loyalist shouted, “Insult Wike now! Una go still beg, una go still come lie down.” Dokubo, now back in her seat, responded fiercely: “Him no go lie down! I say him no go lie down! No be Wike lie down for somewhere so!?”

Organizers Struggle to Restore Calm

Despite several appeals from the anchor and other dignitaries present, the situation escalated with increasing fervor. Mr. Jake Epelle, one of the organizers, was seen moving around the venue, urging attendees to remain calm. Security personnel and bouncers also stepped in, positioning themselves strategically to prevent physical altercations.

Eventually, in a bid to de-escalate the rising tension, Mr. Ibanibo voluntarily stepped aside from the stage. His gesture momentarily calmed the room and allowed the proceedings to continue, albeit under a tense atmosphere. The incident, however, left a lasting impression of the political volatility still brewing in Rivers State.

Signs of Fragile Peace Amid Reconciliation Efforts

The tension flared once more when Niger Delta rights activist Ann-Kio Briggs took the microphone. She was interrupted by Mr. Ikenga, prompting a curt response: “I don’t know when you spoke, but I did not interrupt you, please leave me be. If I don’t speak for you, I speak for myself.” Her sharp retort underscored the lack of mutual respect among rival factions.

Friday’s events highlight the deep mistrust and hostility still simmering among political actors and their supporters in Rivers State. Despite ongoing peace and reconciliation talks, the town hall meeting demonstrated that the political crisis is far from resolved. The road to unity and stable governance in the state remains long and uncertain, with peace hanging precariously on the edge.