By DEBORAH COKER

One Rivers Initiative (ORI), a Pan-Rivers Group, has condemned the threat by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to destabilise states whose governors support Gov. Siminalayi Fubara in Rivers political impasse.

Mr Victor Burubo, Director, Media and Publicity, ORI, during a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday described Wike’s threats as intolerance and arrogance.

Burubo said the threat was an issue of national security concern, adding that the group believed that security agencies should have invited Wike to interrogation.

“There must be a limit to political sophistry and brinkmanship in Nigeria.

“A nation that is in a critical security situation like Nigeria can no longer turn blind eyes to individuals who behave as if they are greater than the state.

“History and humanity cannot afford to go back to 1643 to 1715 when Louis XIV equated himself to the state.

“Wike must be reminded that Nigeria runs a democracy. Even where modern nation-states still have receding colours of monarchies, their powers have been curtailed so drastically.

“Wike cannot take Rivers and Nigeria back to those periods of absolutism,’’ he said.

Burubo also said the group would use any lawful action necessary to call the FCT minister to order to prevent him from tearing down the institutions that represent the corporate existence of Rivers and Nigeria.

According to him, Rivers and Nigeria will not be allowed to buckle under destructive tendencies.

“This to ORI is a patriotic duty and we intend to do it without fear of intimidation,” he said.

He also alleged that during the recently concluded congresses held by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers, Wike not only organised an illegal congress against existing court judgements.

He said this was an affront to the Rule of Law.

“Wike not only made caricature of the party congresses, but cleverly attempted to lure Gov. Fubara to conduct a parallel congress”, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Wike while addressing his loyalists vowed to put fire in the Peoples Democratic Party ruled states where the governors support Fubara.

“I heard some governors who said they will take away my structure and give it to somebody.

“I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states. When God has given you peace, you say you don’t want peace, then whatever you see, you take”, he told his supporters. (NAN)

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