By Akpos Oje
A town hall meeting in Port Harcourt meant to address Rivers State’s political crisis turned chaotic on Friday as supporters of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara clashed with loyalists of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
The session, attended by civil society leaders and political figures, quickly unraveled as both factions traded accusations and insults.
Tensions flared when Bright Amaewhule, President of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), claimed GDI was responsible for Fubara’s rise to power, not Wike.
He accused Fubara’s current allies of turning him against the party that supported his emergence. Labour Party Chairman Hilda Dokubo walked out in protest but later returned, visibly upset.
Kenwell Ibanibo challenged the impeachment attempt against Fubara, questioning its justification just five months into his term. He accused unnamed individuals of trying to control the state, prompting outrage from Wike’s camp. Chibike Ikenga, factional APC Chairman, and others responded with verbal attacks, intensifying the row.
As tempers rose, Dokubo engaged Wike’s supporters directly, shouting back at jeers defending Wike. Security personnel and moderators struggled to restore order, and Ibanibo eventually stepped down from the stage to ease the tension.
Niger Delta activist Ann-Kio Briggs also clashed with Ikenga during her remarks, firmly defending her right to speak without interruption. The town hall, intended to promote reconciliation, instead highlighted the deep divisions fueling the Rivers State political crisis.
