Nyeson Wike, 

Prof. Henry Ogiri, an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has refuted allegations linking him to the trip of former Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, to Abuja, as well as claims that he orchestrated Nwaeke’s media statements.

Controversy erupted in Rivers State after a viral video surfaced in which Nwaeke’s wife alleged that her husband was missing and possibly being held against his will.

She accused Ogiri of facilitating the trip and coercing Nwaeke into making statements critical of the governor.

In response, Ogiri dismissed the accusations as “poorly rehearsed theatrics,” stating that he has had minimal contact with Nwaeke since leaving the Rivers State cabinet in November 2023.

“I have not spoken with Dr. George Nwaeke since the Supreme Court judgment,” he said. “And if this allegation was from Dr. George Nwaeke himself, then I would have viewed this from a different perspective.”

Providing an alibi, Ogiri asserted that he has been in Port Harcourt since February 28, 2025, and has not traveled out of the state.

He noted that he had been working in his office and preparing for the burial of his foster father, which took place on March 22, 2025.

He further emphasized that verifiable records from telephone service providers and airlines could confirm his claims, reinforcing that he had no involvement in Nwaeke’s situation.

Urging the public to remain calm, Ogiri assured his supporters that the truth would soon come to light.

Gov. Fubara, 

Renowned Niger-Delta activist Ann-Kio Briggs has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s decision to suspend Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, arguing that the move was based on false and misleading information.

In an interview with Vanguard on Saturday, Briggs accused the president of being misinformed by those around him.

“Not only was the president given wrong information, all along, the president has been lied to. It seems the president has never been to Rivers State, so he talks and listens to the people who claim they support him, as if Rivers State people and Ijaw do not support him, which is a big lie,” she stated.

Briggs dismissed the claim that Fubara’s suspension was due to the destruction of the House of Assembly complex, noting that the building was more than 80% completed with funds already paid by the governor.

“To have anchored the suspension on the claim that he destroyed the complex, which is not proved, and did nothing to provide an alternative place, is a lie,” she said.

She also refuted allegations of insecurity in the state, labeling them as deliberate misinformation.

“The president said there was a crisis in the state, indicating insecurity in Rivers State. That, too, was a lie. There was no insecurity. Under the circumstances in which we are operating – the governor of Rivers State is under suspension, all the appointments made by the governor have been cancelled, and new people are coming—it begins to agitate a reasonable person’s mind. If you say you are suspending him for six months, and assuming you revisit the issue, why are the people being removed?

“Not only was our money withheld and now given to the sole administrator, but you also removed people. When Fubara returns, he will remove all the people the sole administrator is putting there because what he is doing is dangerous.

“Why is this uncertainty being created in Rivers State? What have we done as a people? If the president looks back, he would see that everybody is saying he did the wrong thing; the only ones who say that what he did is right are those who claim to support him in Rivers. Are strangers the ones that will come in and deliver the president in 2027 if he is re-contesting for a second tenure? It cannot be.

“The president has been unjust and unfair. Nobody is infallible, so if the president acted based on wrong information, that is a great precedent. He should re-appraise and say he made the decision acting on wrong information, and based on that, the suspension is lifted. We will see him as a great president.”

Speaking to newsmen, Briggs lamented that the president had ignored the rule of law in managing the political crisis in Rivers State and accused the sole administrator of engaging in illegal activities.

“By what is happening in Rivers State, it can be deduced that the rule of law in this instance has not been adhered to. The Supreme Court said the state should receive its money only when the governor presents a budget to the House of Assembly and it is approved. How did the president release Rivers’ money to a sole administrator against the law? We, the Rivers people, are angry.

“Secondly, we hear, but it is not proven, that the sole administrator is preparing to appoint local government chairmen. We ask where he derives the power to appoint local government chairmen.

“The Supreme Court has said local government chairmen should be elected, not appointed, or interim chairmen.

“If we have voted, and the Supreme Court said all that was null and void, and the governor removed all the chairmen we voted for, and now the sole administrator wants to appoint local government chairmen, where is the sole administrator getting his powers from? Who told him that he can come to Rivers State and handpick a local government chairman against the law?

“If a governor has been suspended, we hear that the picture of our governor has been removed from the Government House. That is something that will agitate the people of Rivers State. Fubara is not fired; he is on suspension, and everybody has said the suspension is illegal.

“In all that is happening in Rivers State, it is only the president who can bring answers to all the questions. As of now, reasons have shown that there are no facts to suspend the governor of Rivers State. There was no insecurity and blowing up pipelines in Rivers State, and the companies have said nothing was blown up. When you look at all these things, some people do these things to pin everything on the governor. If you know Rivers State, you will understand that the level of calm in the state now is because the suspended governor is a man of peace, and his followers toe the path he has shown them.

“I call on the president to consider all these and let peace reign. We cannot have two governors in this state. The sole administrator should stop seeing himself as the governor of Rivers State; he is not.”

Briggs concluded by stating that the people of Rivers State feel as though they are living under military rule rather than a democratic government.

“The interpretation of the Rivers people themselves is that they are under military rule in a civilian and democratic dispensation. Boko Haram has sacked many people in Borno State; yet, they are not under military rule. Why should we be under military rule?”

The unfolding political crisis in Rivers State took another dramatic turn on Friday as Florence Nwaeke, the wife of former Head of Service of the state, George Nwaeke, raised alarm over her husband’s whereabouts.

Late on Friday, a visibly distressed Mrs. Nwaeke told journalists she was deeply worried about her husband’s safety, stating that she had no idea where he was.

Struggling to contain her emotions, she made a desperate appeal for help. “When he got to Abuja, he called that he had landed. I said, ‘Thank God’,” she recounted.

However, what followed left her in shock. “The next thing I saw this night: people were calling me and said he got an interview. I said, ‘What interview? Interview for what?’ Not until I saw things flying on the internet that he granted an interview. What happened? I said, ‘That is not my husband. That is not my husband.’”

According to her, she immediately attempted to reach her husband but received no response. “So I sent him a message. I said, ‘Are you under duress?’ I sent him a message. I said, ‘Have they kidnapped you? Talk to me now. Why are you not talking to me?’ This is the message I sent to him when I saw his interview online.”

Overwhelmed with fear, she continued her plea. “Oh, Jesus, help me. Nigerians, help me. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. Look at the message I sent to him. See the message I sent to him. I said, ‘Daddy, why? Were you in hostage?’ I said, ‘Why didn’t you talk to me?’ These are the messages I sent to him, but he didn’t reply to me. His numbers are not going through. Nigerians, help me! Nigerians, help me!”

Her distress call came after her husband had granted an exclusive interview in which he made several allegations against Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Among other claims, Mr. Nwaeke alleged that the governor was supporting Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed’s 2027 presidential ambition and that he had held meetings encouraging militants to carry out attacks on oil facilities and other assets.

In another video, Mrs. Nwaeke directly appealed to Governor Fubara to intervene. “Governor, help me. My husband is in trouble,” she pleaded.

“He is in trouble.” She further claimed that her husband had been forced to resign under pressure and was now being coerced into making false statements.

“I said, ‘Daddy, why? Were you in hostage?’” she repeated. “Why didn’t you talk to me?”

Meanwhile, Governor Fubara responded to the allegations by dismissing them as baseless, suggesting that Mr. Nwaeke had either been paid or forced to make false claims against him.

“The truth is that Dr. Nwaeke has been compromised, and whatever he is saying is only aimed at fulfilling his promise to those who may have paid or coerced him to lie against me,” the governor said in a statement late Friday.

To support his position, the governor shared screenshots of alleged chats between Mr. Nwaeke and his Chief of Staff, Ederson Ehie.

The chats appeared to show Mr. Nwaeke seeking financial support and pledging loyalty in return, citing his N500,000 salary as insufficient to meet his needs.

The remains of former presidential spokesperson, Dr. Doyin Okupe, were laid to rest on Friday in his hometown of Iperu-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Okupe, who served as Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to President Goodluck Jonathan, passed away in Lagos on March 7 at the age of 72.

His final burial service was held at the Wesley Methodist Cathedral, Iperu-Remo, and was attended by notable figures, including Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Senator representing Ogun East Gbenga Daniel, former First Lady of Benue State Arc. Yemisi Suswam, Hon. Kayode Amusan, Chief Alex Onabanjo, Senator Lekan Mustapha, and members of President Bola Tinubu’s media team, such as Bayo Onanuga and Tunde Rahman.

Delivering the sermon, the Methodist Archbishop of Egba-Yewa and the Archbishop of RIYE, Adegbemi Atanda Adewale, reflected on Okupe’s passing as a reminder of life’s impermanence and the importance of serving both God and humanity.

“The death of Okupe is a loss and a reminder of the impermanence of life and the importance of living a life that honours God and serves humanity,” he said.

The Archbishop urged the congregation and the people of Ogun State to use their talents, time, and abilities to make a positive difference in society.

He highlighted Okupe’s life as proof that those in positions of power and privilege should strive to impact the lives of others.

Adewale also praised the late Okupe’s dedication to the welfare of his people and family.

Governor Abiodun, in his remarks, described Okupe as a man of impactful service, resilience, and unwavering commitment to Nigeria, his family, and his faith.

“He was a media guru, articulate, and fearless spokesman. He was a professional in politics and not a professional politician; he was a very reliable, dependable, and principled man,” Abiodun said.

The governor emphasized Okupe’s strong convictions, noting that he remained steadfast in his views unless persuaded by deep personal conviction.

“He would not change his viewpoint or position because anyone tried to influence him, except out of conviction, out of an inner conviction,” he added.

Abiodun further noted that Okupe maintained personal relationships regardless of political differences.

“As dogged a politician as he was, he did not define his personal relationships. He could take a political stance against you, but that would not stop him from having a good friendship with you.

“So, he drew a line between politics and personal relationships,” he said.

The governor urged those present to live a life of impact, treating others with kindness and respect.

He stressed that making a meaningful difference does not require holding political office.

“It is not only when a person becomes a politician that they can live a life of impact,” Abiodun concluded.