The political crisis in Rivers State is taking another dangerous dimension as a middle-aged man was alleged to have attempted to detonate an Improvised Explosive Device IED at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt on Tuesday but sustained serious injury before he was whisked away.
Elder statesman Edwin Clark has written to President Bola Tinubu, seeking his intervention over the lingering crisis rocking the State holding Minister of Federal Territory, Nyesom Wike responsible.
This happened just as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ogundu Chinda, factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and former Council Chairman of Obio-Akpor LGA, George Ariolu were leading the march of pro-wike protesters at the Rumueme Civic Center in Port Harcourt.
Police and other security agencies are on a manhunt for the man who attempted to detonate the Explosive Device.
The incident happened in front of Hotel Presidential at about 9.45 am, according to an eyewitness account.
The failed bomber was taken away hurriedly as security agents trooped to the location where the incident happened by people suspected to be his accomplices, the eyewitness said.
Rivers Commissioner for Health Dr Mrs. Adaeze Oreh confirmed the incident to journalists.
According to her, “there was a failed attempt to detonate an improvised explosive device near hotel presidential.”
Dr Oreh said the suspected bomber who seriously injured in his upper limb while trying to detonate explosive.
She advised members of the public and owners of the hospitals to watch out for the same person and if seen of found should be reported to the Commissioner Police or Ministry of Health.
Meanwhile, worried by the situation, Clark urged the President to act decisively and uphold his democratic principles to restore peace in Rivers State and address security challenges elsewhere in the country.
In his letter dated June 25, he warned that Wike’s loyalty is only to himself and that his actions may undermine the President’s efforts to resolve the crisis.
“Mr. President, you can see clearly the wicked and mischievous confession of your Minister Nyesom Wike sabotaging the democratically elected Governor of Rivers State and his legitimate administration in order to bring down the government because he wants to be the leader and continue maintaining his structure in Rivers State,” he stated.
“Nyesom Wike has definitely danced naked in the market with one leg in PDP and the second leg in APC, using the two legs to create crisis and insecurity in his own State, Rivers State and it may be too late for Mr. President to discover him.
“Mr President, even though you trusted Nyesom Wike to the extent of appointing him as Minister of FCT, you did not really know who Nyesom Wike is.
“Wike is only loyal to himself and nobody else, irrespective of his feigned allegiance. He may kowtow and genuflect before a political leader, as he is currently doing in Abuja, but once he can no longer use you, he goes into a fit of incoherent vituperative verbal assault, denigrating his benefactors.”
The oil-rich state has been embroiled in a crisis following the fallout between the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
