Fubara throws out Wike's ally as chairman of Rivers traditional rulers council

The ongoing feud between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, has continued to rage on as the incumbent has removed the latter's ally, King Sergeant Awuse, as the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.

Fubara also appointed the King of Apara Kingdom in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Eze Chike Worlu Wodo, to replace the ousted chairman.

The Governor announced the decision at a meeting with the government classified Traditional Rulers held at the Rivers Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday, June 21, 2024.

This comes a few weeks after Eze Wodo visited the Governor to pledge his support for his administration amid the political turmoil in the oil-rich state.

Awuse is a prominent politician who became a traditional ruler in his Emohua Kingdom in Emohua Local Government Area two years ago.

During a banquet to mark the end of his tenure as Rivers governor, Wike appointed the Awuse the council’s Chairman despite being new to the council.

Explaining his decision, Fubara said the appointment of a new Chairman is due to the “inactivity and the absence of effective leadership of the council under Eze Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse.”

The Governor alleged that Awuse had failed to steer the council's affairs in the right direction and couldn't promote cordial relationships among members and with the state government.

He noted that the council produced a calendar for 2024 under the ousted chairman, in which it insulted the state government and deliberately refused to include the photographs of the Governor and the Deputy Governor.

“I want the council to live up to its responsibility. From my observation, the council is moribund. So, I can feel that the council, for a while now, has been very inactive. Inactive because, maybe, the chairman has decided not to be responsible as a chairman. I think that is the best way to describe it.

“I am not talking about other things that have been happening. But I feel there are responsibilities of the chairman, and so far, I have not felt it and you can also attest to that, that you are not seeing that leadership that you expect.

“I would like to draw your attention to a special insult that was meted to this government. The council produced a calendar for the year of our Lord 2024, and the Governor’s picture and the Deputy Governor’s picture are not in the calendar.

“I want to ask you: does it show any sign that, that leadership is working with this government? I hope you have a copy of it. Does it show that your chairman is working with this government?

“So, I have decided today, we have to move forward. By the special grace of God, the administrative lifespan of the chairman is one year, which is renewable. So, at this particular time, I have to say that with the power vested in me, I announce that the tenure of Chief Sergeant Awuse has been terminated,” Fubara said.