By Milcah Tanimu
Governor Siminalayi Fubara criticized President Bola Tinubu for focusing solely on him in the recent remarks regarding the violent unrest at local government secretariats in Rivers State. Fubara emphasized that the issues surrounding the crisis are clear and not just about him.
Violence broke out after police withdrew from 23 local government secretariats, which led to clashes in several areas. The unrest followed Fubara’s decision to proceed with local elections despite the absence of major political parties and police support. The Action People’s Party (APP) won 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions, and many newly elected officials faced attacks and vandalism.
In response to the escalating violence, President Tinubu instructed the police to secure the affected secretariats and called for political leaders to maintain restraint. However, Fubara expressed concern that the police’s withdrawal may have emboldened criminals to exploit the situation. He stressed the importance of keeping security forces in place to protect elected officials and ensure order within the councils.
