Dr. George Nweke, the immediate-past Head of the Civil Service in Rivers State, has accused suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara of orchestrating the destruction of public assets and oil installations in the state.
Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt on Friday, Nweke claimed that Fubara directed the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex in an attempt to prevent his impeachment.
He alleged that he personally witnessed the governor’s former Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, receiving money for the operation at the Government House.
Nweke stated that if not for President Bola Tinubu’s intervention and the declaration of a state of emergency, Rivers State would have descended into chaos.
He defended the president’s decision, which has been criticized as unconstitutional by some Nigerians, insisting that it was necessary to prevent economic sabotage and widespread violence.
According to him, another attempt was made to destroy the residential quarters of Assembly members, but a press conference by local youth groups and lawmakers helped prevent the demolition.
He expressed shock at the governor’s alleged actions, questioning how a leader could justify destroying state assets amid a political crisis.
Nweke further claimed that Governor Fubara discussed leveraging control over oil pipelines in Rivers and Bayelsa states to influence Nigeria’s political landscape.
He suggested that Fubara’s controversial public statement about “telling the boys what to do at the appropriate time” hinted at a larger plot.
He called on stakeholders who criticized the state of emergency to reconsider their stance, emphasizing that deeper issues were at play.
He urged President Tinubu to remain actively involved in resolving Rivers State’s political turmoil.