The Ikwerre Local Government Secretariat in Rivers State was set ablaze by suspected thugs, as a video of the incident went viral on Monday. This arson follows reports that a section of the Eleme Local Government Council secretariat was also torched, highlighting a surge in unrest after the Rivers Local Government Elections.
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The recent elections, in which the Action Peoples Party (APP) claimed most seats, have been marred by violence and heightened political tensions. Just days before the attacks, sporadic violence had been reported in other parts of the state, with fears of escalating unrest gripping the region.
The crisis appears to be fuelled by the ongoing power struggle between the current Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and former governor Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The rivalry has drawn significant attention recently, with rising hostilities threatening to destabilise the state. Political watchers have noted the strain between both camps, with Fubara, a former Wike ally, seemingly falling out with the minister over control of political structures in the state.
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Former Rivers State Commissioner for Information Austin Tam-George has openly accused Wike of deliberately orchestrating unrest to undermine the Fubara administration. Speaking on Channels Television, Tam-George alleged that Wike was actively working to destabilise the state to assert his influence, calling his actions detrimental to peace and security.
“I’m very disappointed in what the minister is doing. He’s the one orchestrating this. He’s the one who has set forth a process to destabilise the state,” Tam-George said. “What I expected him to do was to focus on his mandate, not create chaos in Rivers State.”
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These events have come on the heels of several concerning developments. In late September, there were reports of threats against key APP candidates, and in the days leading up to the elections, violence was reported in parts of Port Harcourt. Furthermore, allegations of voter intimidation and election rigging have plagued the process, raising questions about the integrity of the elections.
The escalating political unrest, combined with violent attacks on government buildings, has left many in Rivers State on edge as uncertainty over the region’s stability grows. Observers have called for federal intervention to quell the rising tensions and restore order before the situation spirals out of control.
