Protest: Stakeholders Knock Okocha Over Allegations Against Fubara

Some stakeholders in Rivers State have knocked the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Tony Okocha and others, over claims that Governor Siminalayi Fubara sponsored the protest against hunger in the state.
A cross section of stakeholders, who reacted to the allegations in an interview with The Tide, also described it as baseless.
They queried the rationale behind the allegation, since the protest was carried out nationwide and not only in Rivers State.
According to a legal practitioner and public affairs analyst, Barrister Joel Didi, the allegation lacked merit and was not worth replying to.
He described the protest as a revolution by Nigerians against bad governance in the country.
“That allegation is baseless; baseless for all that I know because I know this is a protest that is going on nationwide.
“It would have had substance if they had alleged that the governor was sponsoring it over Nigeria, especially in the Northern part of the country.
“Who sponsored that of Lagos State where it seems to be the base of Mr President? Is it the same Governor of Rivers State that was sponsoring that one? So, it is baseless “, he said.
Also describing the allegation as empty, Barr Didi said that Governor Fubara could not descend so low to sponsor people to vandalise APC Secretariat that could not be compared to Government House and admonished those making the allegations to respect the office of the Governor.
The legal practitioner described the protest as a popular uprising by the Nigerian people, adding that “for the first time, the people have explored and exploited other mechanisms to reach out to the leadership.
“That leadership has been deaf, and in most cases not concerned to the plight of the people, and the people have taken it back to themselves.
“This is a peak of democratic experiment where people have come to realise that the power these people wield is from them”, he said.
Also speaking, a former Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Andoni Local Government Area, Elder Blessing Tiko, said those who sponsored the protesters were the ones accusing the governor.
Elder Tiko said Governor Fubara was too decent to sponsor thugs to either Chief Okocha’s office or to Chief Wike’s residence, adding that Rivers people should open their eyes to know who their real enemies are.
“The issue of now claiming that our beloved governor, the most peaceful governor that God gave to Rivers State…that man cannot kill a fly, talk of sponsoring people to go to Wike’s house.
“People who sponsored those boys are the ones accusing Fubara now. People should know that there is God in this state”, he said.
He queried why the Police should continue to barricade the local government councils in the state.
Also responding, the National Convener of the Coalition of Rivers Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), Chief Sunnie Chukumele, described the allegation as spurious, criminal and lacking in merit.
Chief Chukumele cautioned the APC’s CTC Chairman to act responsibly and stop raising the political temperature in the state by making spurious allegations.

By: John Bibor