Rivers State Labour Party Chairperson Hilda Dokubo has declared that the state cannot function with divided leadership, criticizing what she describes as FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s continued control over Rivers’ political affairs despite no longer being governor.
Speaking at a Rivers State Town Hall Meeting broadcast by News Central TV, Dokubo highlighted the escalating tensions within the state’s political landscape. “At a point, there was pressure, and we could feel the pressure from the utterances of people within the state,” Dokubo stated. “The former governor would make utterances, and those who follow him will make utterances. Those who follow the governor also make utterances. The utterance is always bordered on one thing: who owns the state? Who leads the state? Who is in charge of the state?”
Dokubo firmly rejected the notion of dual leadership. “You can’t have a governor and have another person who is in charge of the state,” she asserted. “Somebody has to lead, and that person, if we all have said, is the governor, then the governor should lead.”
The Labour Party chairperson lamented that clear leadership has been absent, replaced by intimidation tactics. “We haven’t had that. We have had threats flying all over the place. Threats of who can do what against who, who should do what against who,” she explained. “And those threats are inimical to development. They are inimical to friendship, and they’re inimical to the growth of the state and the resources that are there.”
Drawing historical parallels, Dokubo recalled similar leadership dynamics under previous administrations. “When Governor Peter Odili was governor here, at some point after four years, the interest was more on becoming president, and a lot of our resources were plunged into the political party, and people all over the country, whilst we were neglected,” she said.
She suggested the pattern has continued. “The same exact thing reoccurred with the former governor now minister; he’s throwing around our resources,” Dokubo claimed.
Turning to the current administration of the Sole Administrator, she expressed concerns about financial transparency. “The present man there, if the rumors that we hear are anything to go by, is again throwing our monies around because we don’t know where our money is. Nothing has happened in this state in the last two months plus,” she stated.
She concluded by emphasizing the democratic principles at stake. “My understanding is one question that we all need to ask ourselves: Can we allow the people of Rivers State to decide their governor? We already decided by elections. He’s been voted in. Can he return? So, we move on.”
