The camp of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and supporters of former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, traded accusations on Wednesday as the commission of inquiry into the burning of local government secretariats concluded its hearings.
The inquiry was convened in response to the October 7 arson attacks on three local government secretariats, which were linked to violence surrounding the controversial October 5 local government elections in the state.
The panel, chaired by Justice Ibiwengi Minakiri, summoned several individuals, including Wike and the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee in Rivers State, Tony Okocha.
However, both failed to appear. Former local government chairmen from Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor, Ahoada West, and Eleme also disregarded the panel’s invitations.
Tony Okocha dismissed the panel as a “political witch-hunt,” claiming he was never formally invited. “As far as I am concerned, I’m too big to fall for that trap,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, expressed disappointment over the refusal of Wike and his allies to honor the invitations, labeling their absence as regrettable.
Governor Fubara had inaugurated the seven-member panel to investigate the arson, loss of lives, and property destruction linked to the post-election violence. The commission extended its invitation to Wike through courier services and newspaper advertisements, but the former governor did not respond.
Addressing the conclusion of the panel’s sitting, Justice Minakiri noted Wike’s absence and lamented that none of the other invitees, including their legal representatives, were present.
“Today marks the final day of the commission’s sitting, unless directed otherwise by His Excellency under the law governing this inquiry,” she said.
Despite the setbacks, Justice Minakiri confirmed that the panel would proceed with its report. “We hope the findings will benefit Rivers State and its people,” she added.
In response to his absence, Okocha claimed ignorance of the inquiry, citing his recent trip to China and ongoing APC congresses.
According to The PUNCH, he dismissed the panel’s actions, questioning its legitimacy and the method of invitation via newspaper ads.
He said: “I was not invited. I don’t even know about it. I just came back from China and commenced the APC congresses, which started on Saturday till the 30th of this month.
“So, nobody invited me. I couldn’t have been invited in the pages of the newspaper if anything like that had happened.
“Second is the fact that you cannot shave somebody’s hair behind the person. So whatever they want to do, let them carry on. I don’t know. I have no business with that.
“At the fullness of time, when it becomes important, when it becomes necessary when they deem it fit that I should be invited, if for whatever reason they have any information about me or against me, I’ll be game.
“For now, nobody invited me. What you are just telling me now as far as I am concerned, is news. Don’t forget that I had noted in my media engagements that the governor is at liberty to set up any commission and as much as he wants.”
Okocha also criticized the inquiry’s focus, calling for an investigation into last year’s bombing of the State House of Assembly and the attack on the APC secretariat for balance.
“This panel is clearly a political witch-hunt, and I have no business with it,” he declared.
Joseph Johnson, however, countered Okocha’s claims, emphasizing that the panel would submit its findings regardless of the absentees.
“Well, it’s quite disappointing that these people refused to turn up. Well, you can’t fault them.
“Their absence will not stop the work of the commission of inquiry. They (the panel) will submit their findings and then the next step will follow,” he said.