Prominent activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has attributed the ongoing tension between Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara to discrepancies in the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Adeyanju made the revelation during a recent appearance on The Honest Bunch, a podcast hosted by Glitch Africa Studio.
According to Adeyanju, the controversy between the two political figures began when Wike was Rivers State’s governor. He explained that during Wike’s tenure, the state’s IGR stood at N11 billion, but under Fubara’s administration, it has risen dramatically to N27 billion. Adeyanju believes this significant increase has led to the tension. “Wike is fighting Fubara because about a year ago, he was declaring N11 billion as IGR. The same Fubara is declaring N27 billion, and you say they should not fight?” Adeyanju remarked, implying that the revenue surge is at the core of their dispute.
The activist also criticized the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing the body of being politically biased. Adeyanju did not mince words in his allegations, claiming that INEC’s actions were aligned with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). “In Nigeria, what INEC can’t do does not exist. If you give INEC water, they will turn it into wine. INEC is a political party, and the current INEC is APC,” he stated, further fuelling concerns over electoral integrity.
The feud between Wike and Fubara has become a focal point of political discussions, with many analysts speculating that the disagreement is driven by competition over control of Rivers State’s financial resources. As the IGR figures have seen a drastic rise under Fubara, questions about transparency in revenue generation and allocation have emerged, with Adeyanju’s comments adding more fuel to the debate.
In his remarks, Adeyanju raised important questions about governance in Rivers State and the role of institutions like INEC. His comments have sparked public debates on the importance of transparency and accountability in managing state resources, particularly as the country heads toward future elections.
