1.9K
By Daniel Adaji
Former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, has broken his silence on the deepening political crisis in the state, insisting that governance is not a personal inheritance and that public resources must not be deployed to fund private ambitions, in a pointed rebuttal widely seen as directed at former governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Odili’s response, issued on Friday, comes amid escalating tensions between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, whose long-standing political alliance has collapsed into open rivalry, polarising the state’s political landscape.
In a strongly worded statement, the elder statesman said his prolonged silence had been misinterpreted as fear, warning that “when silence is repeatedly mistaken for fear, clarity becomes a duty.”
“I hear my name summoned into arguments driven more by anger than by truth. I am told I should be insulted for stating the obvious, that governance is not a personal inheritance, and that the resources of Rivers State do not exist to fund private ambitions,” Odili said.
Placing the dispute within historical context, Odili referenced his time in office and the political choices made by leaders of his era, noting, “I was a governor in the same political era as Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We all made our choices. Some contested for the highest office in the land; others waited for destiny to do the heavy lifting. History records these things without emotion.”
At the heart of Odili’s intervention is his defence of Governor Fubara, who has been locked in a bitter struggle with Wike over political control of Rivers State, particularly the state legislature and local government structures. Odili rejected claims that Fubara’s actions amount to hostility toward any individual.
“What I said, and what I stand by is simple. Governor Siminalayi Fubara did not declare war on any individual. He merely chose to protect the treasury of the state. If that decision feels like hostility to anyone, perhaps the discomfort says more than any rebuttal ever could,” he stated.
He further argued that recent fiscal reforms under the current administration have yielded tangible results, posing a series of rhetorical questions: “Is it false that internally generated revenue has increased significantly since public funds were insulated from undue influence? Is it false that infrastructure is being executed without mortgaging the future of the state? Is it false that governance now prioritizes public value over personal estates?”
Odili warned that opposition to such measures reflects a deeper discomfort with accountability, adding, “If these facts offend, then truth itself has become the enemy.”
The former governor also took aim at the culture of political patronage and loyalty, describing governance as a public trust rather than an act of servitude.
“I find it curious that defending fiscal discipline is interpreted as betrayal. When I supported past administrations, I did so in the interest of stability, not servitude. An elder statesman does not endorse excess simply to remain relevant. Wisdom does not retire,” he said.
His comments come as Wike has intensified political activities across Rivers State, embarking on what aides have described as “appreciation visits” to several local government areas. Critics, however, view the tours as a strategy to consolidate grassroots influence and challenge the authority of the sitting governor amid the ongoing crisis.
Odili cautioned against personalising power and overstating individual influence in politics.
“As for personal claims of benefaction, politics is a relay, not a miracle. No one rises alone, and no one sustains relevance by denying the ladder they climbed. Gratitude does not require silence in the face of excess,” he said.
Reflecting on his own tenure, Odili acknowledged imperfections but defended his legacy.
“I did not govern perfectly. No one ever does. But I governed with restraint, built institutions, and left legacies that did not depend on perpetual conflict to survive,” he said.
As Rivers State struggles with legislative paralysis, factional tensions, and governance uncertainty, Odili called for calm and restraint, urging leaders to prioritise peace and progress over political warfare.
“This state deserves peace. It deserves governance without siege mentality. It deserves leaders who know when to step back and allow progress to breathe,” he said.
Reaffirming his allegiance, Odili stated “I will always stand with Rivers people. I did yesterday. I do today. I will tomorrow. That, above all else, is my only loyalty.”