Rivers crisis requires political solution – Okupe

A former presidential spokesperson, Dr Doyin Okupe, says the leadership crisis bedeviling Rivers State is a total misfortune.

Okupe, who was a Director-General of the Labour Party, LP, Presidential Campaign Council, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos, stressing that the problem requires a political solution.

Rivers State has been engulfed in a crisis over a power tussle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Mr Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The rift has polarised the State House of Assembly with lawmakers loyal to both political gladiators electing different Speakers to lead the House.

Reacting, however, Okupe said the crisis in the state was caused by disregard for rules and laws.

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The former presidential spokesperson said while the judiciary could help to put things right, the best way to end the festering crisis is to proffer a political solution.

“That is a total misfortune, and the real issue, if we look at it properly, is that we do not obey our laws. if only we obey our laws, this situation cannot surface at all.

“The courts have to help, the judiciary must be consistent, fair and judge according to law not any other sentiment.

“Let us all obey our laws and our rules and let the court adjudicate according to the law and anybody who flouts the law should pay for it.

“The way things are going in Rivers right now is dangerous, but a political solution is what I will suggest, as a very experienced politician,” he said.

While stressing the need for a political solution, Okupe said politics is about interest and that the crisis would end if the interests of the disagreeing parties are discussed and reconciled.

“In all my years of politics, I have never seen anything in this world that a political solution cannot resolve in all political disagreements.

“Politics is about interest- What is the interest of A and what is the interest of B and how can we marry them? That’s is all,” he added.