Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) candidate in the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections, criticized President Bola Tinubu’s involvement in the Rivers State political crisis, calling it unconstitutional.
During an interview on News Central Television’s Breakfast Central programme, Sowore, a human rights activist and convener of #RevolutionNow, expressed concern over Tinubu’s intervention, labeling it as indicative of state capture.
Tinubu stepped into the political turmoil in Rivers State, directing the factional Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, to acknowledge 27 members of the Assembly who recently switched to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This action followed a closed-door meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, attended by President Tinubu, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, former governors Peter Odili and Nyesom Wike, and other stakeholders. At the conclusion of this meeting, an eight-point resolution was reached and signed by all parties involved to quell the crisis.
Part of the resolution read: “All matters in court to be withdrawn immediately. Also, all impeachment proceedings initiated against the governor by the state House of Assembly should be dropped immediately.”
The resolution was signed by Fubara, Wike; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Speaker, Rivers State Assembly, Martin Amaewhule; PDP Chairman, Rivers State, Aaron Chukwuemeka and APC Chairman, Rivers State, Tony Okocha.
When asked what Tinubu’s intervention in the crisis signified, Sowore said, “It signifies complete state capture; when you have undemocratic forces deciding for the majority of our people how to run their affairs of the state from where it should not be.
“Aso Rock is not the place to intervene in serious national and state matters. Former Governor Fashola said that Tinubu has no right to intervene constitutionally in this matter.
“These are illegalities that are being carried out. State capture is not about the people or governance, it is about resources.”
Sowore also said that Governor Siminalayi and his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wike are not fighting for the people of the state.
They are fighting to keep their loot and to share it appropriately,” he said.
“It is a loot matter and that is why it was easy to resolve this matter.”
He said he knew “they would intervene because there are a lot of people in the background who are benefiting from the fight”.
“You cannot have four people in the state House of Assembly passing a budget,” he said.
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