The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, on Wednesday, demanded an investigation into suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his loyalists over the demolition of the state House of Assembly complex and allegations of financial misappropriation.
Okocha’s call for a probe follows claims made by a former Head of Service (HoS) in the state, George Nwaeke, who alleged over the weekend that Fubara orchestrated the destruction of the Assembly complex to prevent his impeachment by lawmakers.
However, Fubara’s Special Adviser on Electronic Media, Jerry Omotsegunwa, dismissed the call for an inquiry, describing it as baseless.
“It is laughable for any right-thinking individual to believe the video confessions of the erstwhile HoS,” Omotsegunwa stated, labeling Nwaeke’s accusations as incoherent and illogical.
The former HoS had claimed to have personally witnessed Fubara handing over a bag of money to his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, to facilitate the attack on the Assembly complex. Both Fubara and Ehie have vehemently denied these claims, with Fubara’s camp insisting that Nwaeke was not in the right frame of mind when making the accusations. Ehie has since instructed his lawyer to pursue a defamation lawsuit against Nwaeke.
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Despite the denials, Okocha, a close ally of Fubara’s political rival and predecessor, Nyesom Wike, insisted on Wednesday that Nwaeke’s account could not be easily dismissed due to his former high-ranking position in the state government.
“Nwaeke’s account further corroborates the position of Rivers APC that Fubara is the architect of the political crisis in the state. His actions necessitate immediate intervention from President Bola Tinubu to restore order and prevent a total breakdown of peace,” Okocha stated.
He further argued that Nwaeke’s testimony vindicates the APC’s earlier stance on the matter, implicating Fubara and Ehie in the Assembly attack.
“The truth is like daylight—it cannot be hidden. Let me emphasize that as Head of Service at the time, Nwaeke was the third most powerful figure in the state. His account is not mere hearsay,” Okocha added. “The waste of taxpayers’ money in Rivers State under Fubara’s watch is unprecedented, occurring during a time of economic hardship.”
Okocha referenced a recent Supreme Court judgment, which he claimed described Fubara’s leadership style as dictatorial.
In response, Fubara’s camp has maintained that the accusations against him are politically motivated and lack credibility. Omotsegunwa dismissed Nwaeke’s shifting narratives as contradictory and unreliable.
“He (Nwaeke) initially claimed he was in a meeting where the governor, his Chief of Staff, and a former local government chairman planned the attack. Then in another video, he said he was not present but was told about it. Later, he claimed he saw them carrying bags but was unaware of the contents. Now, he asserts they were bags of money. These inconsistencies alone render his testimony untrustworthy,” Omotsegunwa argued.
He further questioned the financial mismanagement allegations, stating that Fubara’s projects had been scrutinized and found to be prudent.
“The so-called N16 billion phantom funds do not exist anywhere. The Sole Administrator overseeing the state’s finances has reviewed Governor Fubara’s projects and commended his financial discipline. I don’t know what else Tony Okocha is talking about. How can anyone believe these contradictory, illogical videos?” he concluded.
© Ripples Nigeria
