Human Rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has told Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State to tame Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Adeyanju disclosed this in a post on his X while reacting to the Supreme Court’s judgment that outlawed caretaker arrangements in the local government system and blocked federal allocations to Rivers State.

Adeyanju, who blamed Wike for the lingering political crisis that has engulfed the state since the emergence of the governor, urged Fubara to make Wike politically irrelevant in Rivers State by 2027.

Adeyanju
said since Wike has chosen to make himself the black sheep of the Rivers family, he must be dealt with decisively.

“His antics and self-serving machinations cannot be allowed to prevail against the collective interest of the people.

“The Governor must ensure that Wike understands that Rivers State is not his personal fiefdom. He cannot and will not go against the will of the people.

“He (Wike) should not be given breathing space. His influence must be curtailed, and his opposition to progress must be met with the full weight of governor Fubara’s authority as the leader chosen by the people”.

He said Nigerians are “confident that come 2027, Fubara will not only emerge stronger and more determined but fully equipped to crush any opposition, particularly from Nyesom Wike in the interest of all Rivers people”.

The Supreme Court had ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Accountant General of the Federation to stop allocating funds to the Rivers State government.

It stated that the ruling would remain in force until Fubara ceases all illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional activities.

The apex court directed that funds would be released to Fubara’s government only when a lawful Appropriation Law is enacted under the Martin Amaewhule Speakership.

In the judgment delivered on Friday by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, the Supreme Court also ordered the 27 members of the Rivers House of Assembly to resume their functions immediately.

The face-off between Wike and Fubara led to 27 lawmakers defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Their defection resulted in the declaration of their seats as vacant, and Amaewhule was subsequently removed as Speaker under Fubara’s leadership.