The political crisis rocking Rivers State took a new turn as the suspended state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara on Friday night denied fierce accusations from the immediate past Head of the Civil Service, Dr. George Nweke.
Dr Nwekw, who resigned his position a few days ago, accused Governor Fubara of masterminding the crisis in the state and being behind the burning of the state assembly hallowed chamber before it was demolished.
The former state civil service head of service also accused the governor of secret meeting with the Chairman of PDP Governorship Forum, Bala Mohammed to unseat president Tinubu.
Responding to the allegations, Governor Fubara denied all Accusations,. saying that Dr. Nweke has either been compromised or is speaking under pressure, urging urged Rivers people and Nigerians to ignore him.
Governor Fubara in a statement he personally signed denied having any secret meeting with Bala Mohammed to unseat Tinubu as well as having links with any militant let alone ordering anyone to destroy oil and gas pipelines in the state.
He said, “My attention has been drawn to a press briefing by the former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, aired on Channels Television on Friday the 28th of March 2025.
“Ordinarily, I would not have responded to his claims, but to correct the erroneous impression such allegations may create in the minds of the people, and the disaffection it is bound to cause in the state and the country.
“First, on the claim that he was aware of my discussions and plans to support Bala Mohammed’s alleged 2027 presidential bid, it is laughable that Dr. Nwaeke would be part of any high level political meeting as Head of Service, much more sitting in my alleged night meetings with Bala Mohammed and militants like he claimed. Howbeit, none of such meetings ever held.
“The truth is that the whole world knew when the Bauchi State Governor, as Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum visited the State, and there was nothing secret about the visits.
“It is also ludicrous for Dr. Nwaeke to claim that he was aware of my meetings to encourage attacks on oil pipelines and other National assets in the State, as there was no time I held any meeting with militants or any criminal group to destabilise the State.
“It is on record that I have been at the forefront preaching peace in the State even in the face of obvious provocations.
“The truth is that Dr. Nwaeke has been compromised, and whatever he is saying is only aimed at fulfilling his promise to those who may have paid or coerced him to lie against me.
“I call on all well meaning Nigerians and the good people of Rivers State to disregard everything said by Dr. Nwaeke as they are mere desperate attempts to discredit me and my administration, and undermine the peace process by Mr. President.”
Dr. Nwaeke in a press briefing on Channels Television, Friday night, said: “My dear People of Rivers state, it is with humility and every sense of responsibility that I stand to address you today as your former Head of Service.
“You would recall that I was appointed as the Head of Service by our suspended governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Let me also use this opportunity to appreciate him for giving me the opportunity to serve as the Head of Service. With the loads of misinformation on print and electronic media, I have chosen to put the record straight, I was not sacked neither was I pressured to resign, I did it willingly from the depth of my heart.
“However as an insider and a key player in this administration by my position, as one who worked closely with Siminalayi Fubara, it will be unfair for me to keep silent or not to address some key factors that has affected or will affect our state if we continue on this trajectory.
“You will recall that when the governor was suspended, as the Head of Service, I was the next in command, so I am not speaking from outside, I am speaking as an insider. If not for the intervention of Mr. President, Nigeria would have faced the worst economic sabotage and Rivers State would have been up in flames.”
The former Head of Service during his media briefing, also accused Governor Fubara of directing his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie to burn down the House of Assembly complex on Sunday 29 October, 2023 to avert his impeachment by the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers.
He said, “Edison that evening was in Government House with two other boys, including the former chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA, one Chijioke.
“I was there with them when a bag of money was handed over to Edison for that operation, though I do not know the amount inside. I want to tell Rivers people today that the House of Assembly complex in Moscow Road was clearly brought down by Edison Ehie under the instructions of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, I challenge him to an open confrontation and I will throw more light on it.
“A day after that incident, I almost resigned but I was very scared because I know the power of a sitting governor and he knew that I am aware of the whole plan and that I am discomforted with the unconscionable act and deliberate posture of innocence and mien of a sheep.
“Another attempt was also made to destroy the residential quarters of the House of Assembly members if not for the press conference that was made there by Rivers youths, Rivers elders and National Assembly members, that would have been another barbaric demolition in Rivers State.
“I came to realise that they actually wanted to demolish that second building because after some weeks, he (the governor) personally told me that if he knew early he would have gone to pull down their hall before visiting the residential quarters of the Assembly and that he didn’t actually know that they had such a beautiful hall were they are using now for their sitting.
“I was shocked and I asked myself how could a man that wants to lead his people be destroying his state assets and wasting public funds on a needless ego fight.”
Speaking on the emergency rule declared on Rivers State by President Tinubu, Nwaeke alleged that governor Fubara was working with Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri and other militants from Ijaw extraction to attack more oil facilities in the state, and also unseat President Tinubu.
He said, “I want to advise some key stakeholders who have condemned the state of emergency made by the President and confirmed by the National Assembly to retract their statements, I also understand that they are only seeing the surface.
“If the President did not take proactive step, no one knows who would have been affected by the sinister plans that were cooking. While I thank Mr. President for the state of emergency that was declared in Rivers State for a period of six months, I will plead with him not to give up on Rivers State affairs because a lot are going on there with Governor Fubara.
“One of the factors that got me removed was when Governor Fubara told me that they will use the Ijaws to decide who will become the next president of Nigeria and I asked him how will that work?
“I asked, is it by votes or by what means? He clearly told me that he is the chief security officer of Rivers State and his brother is in charge of Bayelsa State and all the pipelines are under their care, that at the appropriate time they will tell the boys what to do and fund was not an issue.
“That was why when he made that statement in his public function that ‘I will tell the boys what to do at the appropriate time’, I knew something was up and perhaps the time was near.
“He boasted to be the “David that will bring down the Goliath of Rivers State. That he has the backing of the creme-de-la cream in the state. The likes of Dr. Peter Odili and family promised to use their contacts in the judiciary including some members of their University Council to break new ground for him.”
Continuing, Dr. Nwaeke alleged that the plan by Governor Fubara was to start blowing up pipelines from non-Ijaw speaking areas to destroy oil facilities to remove attention from the Ijaw and make it have a statewide look.
“The plan was to start from the Ogoni, Oyibo, Ahoada areas were to be bombed first before the Ijaw zones. This would have brought down the government of President Tinubu and usher in a new President from the coalition of political parties with a Vice President from the Ijaws.
“Sometimes, I sleep over in government house but I started being uncomfortable when Gov. Bala Mohammed and some other stakeholders started nocturnal visits to Rivers State. I recalled after one of such visits he told me that he will support Bala Mohammed for president or any other northerner, that discussions are ongoing.
“Though, I was not bothered about who he supports but I was more concerned about the quantum of state resources that he releases to these visitors at each visit.”
He also called on the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress to call the union’s Chairman in Rivers State, Comrade Alex Agwanwor to order, to avoid politicizing the NLC.
“I am privy to several private meetings between the Governor and the Labour leader in the state and the largesse that accompanied each meeting to compromise the Labour Union.
“More worrisome is several meetings between the governor, his Chief of Staff and some militant leaders. The details of which meetings I am not privy to since I was not allowed into the meetings. However, each meeting ended with a huge sum of money paid to attendees.
“I wish to state categorically that Rivers people and indeed Nigerians are the beneficiaries of the declaration of state of emergency rule in Rivers State and not Gov. Fubara or Minister Wike.
“Finally, I wish to call on Mr. President to urge the Sole Administrator to step up his guards and be very vigilant because I am aware of the sinister arrangement and dastardly plans to continue to hatch their plans if not put in check.
“This accounts for the organized media condemnations and seeming public outcry against Mr. President and National Assembly,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, the wife of the former Rivers State Head of Service, Mrs. Florence Nwaeke has stated that her husband, Dr. George Nwaeke was being held hostage and forced to speak under duress to read a script.
Mrs. Nweke, who was seen crying in an interview with Channels TV said her husband was allegedly pressured to sign a document falsely alleging that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had properly declared ₦15 billion. When he refused, he resigned from his position and confided in his wife.
According to her, hours after her husband had spoken with her at home, he received a sudden call from a friend, Dr Henry Ogiri, who hails from Odua LGA, inviting him for a meeting at Abuja, assuring her that he would return safely, and he left for Abuja only for her to later see a press release and a televised interview of him on Channels TV.
The visibly distressed woman in the viral video, claimed that the interview aired on Channels TV was scripted and forced.
She recounted how she sent a text to her husband asking if he was being held hostage, but he has not responded.
“I know my husband, that was not his voice speaking freely! They forced him to say those things on TV,” she cried out.
