Tension Boils Over! Fubara, Wike Factions In Open Confrontation During Public Forum

Supporters of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, clashed openly on Friday during a heated town hall meeting in Port Harcourt.

The event, meant to foster dialogue among stakeholders in Rivers State, quickly spiraled into chaos as tensions between opposing camps boiled over.

According to Channels Television, tempers flared when Bright Amaewhule, President-General of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) — a pro-Wike political group — claimed credit for Fubara’s rise to power.

“There’s no indigene of Rivers State who won’t acknowledge GDI’s role in Sim Fubara’s emergence as governor,” Amaewhule said. “We moved Sim from one local government to another before the campaign even began — not the Honourable Minister.”

He went further, asserting, “GDI was the group that made Sim acceptable to Rivers people, even when his own community had rejected him.”

The remarks immediately provoked outrage. Hilda Dokubo, Chairperson of the Labour Party in Rivers and a known supporter of Fubara, walked out in protest. “I can’t sit here and listen to this,” she fumed. She was later persuaded to return by event organizers.

The tension escalated when another speaker, Kenwell Ibanibo, challenged Amaewhule’s version of events and raised questions over the attempted impeachment of Governor Fubara shortly after he assumed office.

“I’ve heard GDI’s claims, but what exactly did Sim Fubara do to deserve an impeachment attempt within five months?” he asked. “The truth is someone who thinks he owns Rivers State orchestrated the move.”

This statement sparked further uproar among Wike’s supporters. Chibike Ikenga, a factional chairman of the APC, and other loyalists fired back. One of them shouted, “Insult Wike now! You all will still come crawling back!”

Dokubo quickly responded, “He won’t crawl! I said he won’t crawl! Isn’t Wike the one crawling right now!?”

Efforts by moderator Jake Epelle, a civil society advocate, to restore order proved difficult as security operatives took positions to prevent the situation from escalating further. Ibanibo eventually offered to leave the stage to help de-escalate the conflict.

Tensions flared again when Niger Delta activist Ann-Kio Briggs was interrupted mid-speech by Ikenga. Holding her ground, she firmly told him, “I don’t recall interrupting you. Kindly extend the same courtesy and let me speak for myself.”