Rivers Crisis Escalates: Princewill Exposes Why Tinubu’s Efforts Failed

Tonye Princewill, a former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, has explained why President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the Rivers State crisis was unsuccessful. Naija News reports that a rift has been ongoing between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara……CONTINUE READING

Despite the efforts of prominent Nigerians to mediate, the conflict remains unresolved. In an interview with The Nation, Princewill attributed the failure of Tinubu’s intervention to its lack of constitutional backing and its one-sided nature.

“Simple, because it was not constitutional, it was too one-sided, and it did not have popular support. If he had consulted beforehand, he would have realized it,” Princewill stated. “I believe he wanted to help and assumed all stakeholders present justified the action. In Rivers State, the people’s voice matters. It’s one of the reasons why I don’t feel a strong desire to speak all the time.”

Princewill, who recently stayed away from politics to honor his late father, urged Wike to allow Governor Fubara to govern without interference. “In my dear Rivers State, we’ve gone past that. The support in either camp is across all ethnic lines. Wike enjoyed cross-cultural support when he was governor and now Governor Sim is enjoying even greater support across all lines, now that he’s on the seat,” he noted.

He further emphasized the importance of allowing Fubara to complete his term: “Leave our son to work, just like we left other ones before him. Rivers State is the treasure base of the nation. Do not play with the goose that lays the golden egg. If he has erred, it is a different thing. If he has broken the law, there are ways and means to deal with that. If you don’t want him in the future, allow him to finish his term.”

Princewill concluded by highlighting the resilience of Rivers State in facing numerous crises: “Because the silence we hear is the silence of the graveyard. Let sleeping dogs lie. We have witnessed many crises in Rivers State and we have now become experts at it.”