According to Punch, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State disclosed that a thwarted bombing attempt at Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt was intended to escalate calls for a state of emergency. The Rivers State APC Chair, Tony Okocha, recently advocated for such a declaration following political unrest. Okocha, aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike, now the FCT minister, is embroiled in a power struggle with Fubara over state politics.
Pro-Wike demonstrators began their protests on Monday, and on Tuesday, an individual allegedly connected to them set off an explosive device near the hotel where members of the National Assembly were residing. The bomber, now in stable condition and receiving medical care, sought to intensify the emergency appeals.
Governor Fubara, during a meeting with the Senate Committee on Privatisation on Wednesday, explained that the bombing was planned due to the presence of the senators at the hotel, intending to provoke further emergency declarations. He credited divine intervention for preventing a larger disaster, emphasizing his administration's honesty and transparency.