PORT HARCOURT – The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a direct challenge to the Rivers State Government, vowing to forcefully take over the Yakubu Gowon Stadium if it denies approval for a political rally again.
Wike made the declaration on Friday during the inauguration of Renewed Hope Agenda coordinators in Rivers State. He revealed that organizers had applied to use the stadium for Friday’s event but were refused approval by the state government.
“We applied to the state government for the use of the Yakubu Gowon Stadium. They refused us. Let me say this clearly: next time they do this, if you don’t approve it, we will break in by force,” Wike stated emphatically.
He directed the state coordinators to reapply for a future date to inaugurate ward-level coordinators, issuing a stern warning to the state authorities. “Enough is enough… Nobody can deny us the use of state facilities. If you refuse to grant approval, we will do the needful, and we will take it by force. Heaven will not fall.”
The confrontation marks a significant escalation in the political feud between Wike and the Rivers State Government led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The threat to seize a state-owned facility by force underscores the deep animosity and battle for political control in the oil-rich state.
Read more on the political gathering: Renewed Hope Ambassadors of Rivers State Inaugurated
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Disclaimer: This report details a public threat made by a federal minister against a state government. The legality of such an action and the response of the Rivers State Government are yet to be seen.
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