The Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought has blamed the lingering political crisis in the South-South state on indigenes appointed into Federal Government positions.
Chief Sunnie Chukwumela, who spoke on behalf of the leaders at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, said that people on President Bola Tinubu’s appointment were collaborating with former lawmakers to attack Gov. Siminalayi Fubara’s administration.
He claimed that such persons had constituted a faction in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Chukwumela said that the group had been led out of the political party on whose platform they won election.
“They have moved to another party which made them to lose their seats as legislators,” he said.
He accused the leader of the group of going to court to stop revenue accruals to the state.
“That action is intended to starve the state of funds to be deployed for welfare and security of residents,” he said.
He decried recent incidents like the bombing of the Action Peoples Party secretariat and shootings at the GRA, Port-Harcourt.
Others include the local government chairmen’s refusal to vacate seats when their tenure had elapsed.
Chukwumela frowned at recent outbursts by Chief Tony Okocha, a leader of the All Progressives Congress in the state, accusing Fubara of sponsoring the recent protests.
He urged the Federal Government to pay more attention to the crisis in Rivers as its silence could be interpreted as supporting it.
“Ignoring the Rivers crisis could be seen as lending tacit support to those trying to capture and control the state’s resources,” he said.
He accused Rivers indigenes holding top positions in the central government of “misrepresenting President Bola Tinubu and what we have known him to stand for, as a true democrat”.
‘’These men are beginning to paint you in bad light; you are the father of the nation and we pray you to act now.
‘’This is a clarion call by the people of Rivers; we want our President to swing into action and protect the lives and property of the people and residents,’’ he said.
Chukwumela urged the police to be more professional in the handling of issues in the state, while urging the FCT minister to concentrate on the good works he was doing in Abuja.
He declared that the leaders were happy with the Fubara administration so far, and would fight to defend his leadership. (NAN)