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The crisis rocking Rivers State has escalated in ABuja as two loyalists of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, including state House of Assembly member Sokari Goodboy representing the Aboada West Constituency, were apprehended in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Also detained was Peoples Democratic Party chieftain Ezebunwo Ichemati.
According to a viral video, they were arrested on the orders of a local government chairman in Rivers State deemed to be loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. Wike and Fubara have been engaged in a running supremacy battle over the control of the political structures in the oil-rich Rivers State.
A member of Fubara’s media team stated, “The next thing that came up again, he started giving them instructions he attacked Ezebunwo and tore his shirt. We don’t even know what we are doing here because he has ordered that they should arrest all of us.”
Jerry Omotsegunwa, the Governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, confirmed the incident, emphasizing their arrest while showing solidarity was unjust. He demanded their immediate release, stating, “Going there to show solidarity, they were not the only ones. A lot of Governors also came there with their people and coming to picket some people on the orders of an individual is not it at all. So they should be released immediately.”
Of the present 31 lawmakers of the State House of Assembly, 27 led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule are loyal to Nyesom Wike, while four are loyal to Fubara. One of them, Edison Ehie, resigned from the Assembly and was appointed as Fubara’s Chief of Staff.