A group under the aegis of Ijaw Strategic Think Tank has condemned the Rivers State government for the demolition of the State House of Assembly complex.

Speaking to newsmen during a press conference in Okrika, the group’s convener, Amapipi Kalio, told newsmen that after reviewing the actions of the governor, the group who were formerly backing the state governor, Simi Fubara, in the recent crisis, expressed shock at the actions of the state government and vowed to withdraw their support for him.

Fubara and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, have been at loggerheads with each leading a faction of the State House of Assembly.

Kalio said: “The value of that building today is almost 10 billion naira and this is what the governor wasted just to protect his selfish interest. Does he realize that the building belongs to Rivers people and has served four governors who all faced opposition, but none of them destroyed such state’s critical infrastructure?

“What this means is that the governor can decide to destroy a major road or fly over just because he fears that his enemies might come through that road to deny him power. A man that can do this, is dangerously destructive and can destroy anything to protect his interest.

“We wholeheartedly condemn the action of the governor and hereby withdraw the support of the Ijaw Strategic Think Tank from him. Further investigations from our team also revealed that the Minister of the FCT asked the governor in front of President Bola Tinubu, if he (Wike) had ever asked him for money or kickbacks and the governor said no. So why then is the governor deceiving ignorant Ijaw youths to begin to attack and insult a man who willingly handed power to the Ijaws?

“As Ijaw people, we won’t deny that former Governor Wike single-handedly took Simi Fubara from the civil service, made him a Director, bought him the guber form, wielded his influence so that all the political heavyweights in the party stepped away from the party primaries, gave him the ticket and took him round the entire local government in the state, mobilizing his structure to defeat all opponents and made Simi Fubara governor. Governor Fubara should tell Ijaw people what he promised and agreed with the former governor before he went against all odds to make him Rivers State governor.”