The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has expressed concern over the silence of President Bola Tinubu in the political crisis currently rocking Rivers State, following the expiration of the tenure of former chairmen and councillors of the 23 local government councils of the State, and called on the President to caution the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief NyesomWike; the Inspector General of Police; and the representative of Rivers State in the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), Mr Tony Okocha on their roles in the lingering crisis.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who made the call while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt, said it is shocking that President Tinubu has maintained studied silence over the crisis, and urged him, without further delay to call the trio to order, over their various roles in the political crisis rocking the State.
According to him, the Inspector General of Police, in particular is supposed to play a neutral and mediating role over the matter, instead of allegedly taking sides, saying, he is supposed to have withdrawn by now the police officers who have barricaded the secretariats of local government councils in the State for over one week now.
He noted that Rivers State is not the only State in the country where caretaker committees are appointed to run the affairs of local government councils, and wondered why the case of the State is different.
While affirming that Governor Fubara is totally loyal to the President, Osumah said what is currently playing out in the State is not only negatively affecting the people of the State but also the image and credibility of the Tinubu administration.
According to him, going by the deepening political crisis in Rivers State, people outside the State and Nigeria see President Tinubu as weak and incompetent, since he is unable to call to order those working under his government.
He contended that there is no iota of doubt that Wike and Okocha, who claims to be the leader of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Rivers State are the ones stoking the flames in the State with their loyalists and supporters.
Osumah indicated that a situation where Wike’s supporters march through the streets holding his portraits, and being nudged on by Okocha, as if they are holding campaign rallies, when there is no election in the air, is taking political desperation too far, and urged President Tinubu to quickly call to order the Minister and his supporters.
He reiterated that it is not only in Rivers State that caretaker committees are in place at the local government councils, and wondered why the police should be allowed to barricade council secretariats in the State, instead of allowing council workers and other residents to have access to the councils to carry out their legitimate businesses unmolested and unhindered.
The labour leader said the continuous barricade of the councils is taking a heavy toll on the economy of the State and the businesses of several persons who depend on the councils for their daily survival.
Osumah also noted that there is absolute peace and tranquility in the State, as the people of the State are going about their businesses unmolested, contrary to insinuations by those who are calling for a state of emergency to be declared in the State, stressing that such calls by people in government also portray the Tinubu administration in bad light.
Osumah equally expressed worry over the recent lamentation of Governor Fubara, concerning the shoddy manner the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) is handling the political crisis in the State, saying, the inability of the party to assert its authority on the issue, by taking firm and appropriate actions against Wike is a strong indication that it is highly compromised.
He enjoined the Nigeria Governors’ Forum(NGF) to rally round Governor Fubara and always give him the necessary support.

Kevin Nengia