Group urges Tinubu: Sack Wike to save Rivers from crisis

Wike

The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), USA, has called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, as a step toward ending the lingering political crisis in Rivers State. The pro-democracy group also urged the President to declare a six-month state of emergency in parts of Northern Nigeria affected by insurgency and banditry, warning that credible elections cannot be conducted in areas under terrorist control ahead of the 2027 polls.

Speaking in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, NADECO USA President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Lloyd Ukwu, alleged that Wike’s actions were central to the Rivers crisis and insisted that peace would remain elusive unless the Minister was sanctioned.

According to Ukwu, removing Wike from office would demonstrate that President Tinubu does not endorse the Minister’s alleged overbearing influence in the state’s political affairs.

“The main problem in Rivers State today, as far as this crisis is concerned, is the Minister of the FCT,” Ukwu said. “Rivers people know where the problem lies. The President must call him to order. Wike is his employee.”

He added that the unfolding impeachment proceedings in Rivers during the President’s absence abroad further underscored the urgency of decisive action. “If Rivers State crumbles, we will hold the President responsible if he fails to act,” Ukwu warned.

On national security, the NADECO leader said Nigeria’s democracy was under serious threat due to worsening insecurity in the North, stressing that elections would be meaningless in territories occupied by terrorists.

“How and where would people vote if insurgents control their communities?” he asked. “We are discussing the 2027 elections when we have failed to secure lives and property.”

Ukwu called on President Tinubu to consider declaring a six-month state of emergency in affected Northern states, or across all 19 Northern states if necessary, to enable the Federal Government to coordinate decisive security operations. He also proposed limited international support, including assistance from the United States in intelligence sharing, special operations, and training of Nigerian forces, stressing that such collaboration would be temporary and under Nigerian control.