Tonye Princewill, a former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, has explained why President Bola Tinubu's intervention in the Rivers State crisis between Minister Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara failed. Princewill told The Nation that Tinubu's approach was unconstitutional, one-sided, and lacked popular support.
Tonye Princewill
"Simple, because it was not constitutional, it was too one-sided, and it did not have popular support. If he had consulted beforehand, he would have realized it," Princewill stated. He emphasized the importance of the people's voice in Rivers State, noting that assumptions about stakeholder presence justified Tinubu's actions. Princewill, who has stayed away from politics to honor his late father, urged Wike to allow Governor Fubara to govern without interference. He highlighted the broad support Fubara enjoys across ethnic lines, similar to the support Wike had during his tenure.
"In my dear Rivers State, we’ve gone past that. The support in either camp is across all ethnic lines. Wike enjoyed cross-cultural support when he was governor and now Governor Sim is enjoying even greater support across all lines, now that he’s on the seat," Princewill remarked. He stressed the need to let Fubara complete his term without disruption, warning against political instability in the state.
According to THE NATION reports, Princewill said, "Do not play with the goose that lays the golden egg. If he has erred, it is a different thing. If he has broken the law, there are ways and means to deal with that. If you don’t want him in the future, allow him to finish his term". Princewill concluded by urging all parties to maintain peace, reflecting on the state's history of crises and the need for stability.