Former Governor of Rivers State, Rufus Ada George, has been challenged to list a single positive development he brought to the state, other than an alleged introduction of violence and ethnic politics.
This challenge was issued by the media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, on Thursday.
In a statement he signed, Olayinka said it was on record that the only impact that can be linked to George was the introduction of “Bush Boys” militant group, which he used to settle political scores.
According to Olayinka: “At old age, people should begin to desist from acting shamelessly.
“After leaving office as Governor in 1993, what happened to his relationship with Dr Peter Odili, who was his deputy? Why did he not support Odili for governor in 1999 and 2003? Why was he in All People’s Party (APP) while Odili was in People’s Democratic Party (PDP)?
“Records of his involvement in the activities of the Bush Boys are well documented in the report of the 2008 Justice Kayode Eso led Rivers State Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which heard accusations that he (Ada George) sponsored the Bush Boys in the September 2001 violence.
“As a former Governor of Rivers State, he could not reconcile the warring Okrika factions, reason they didn’t have an Amayanabo until Wike became governor. Rather than resolve the chieftaincy crisis, Ada George took side and used his Bush Boys militant group against those against his preferred candidate.
“As Rivers State Governor, in 1993, when violence ensued in the Ogoni people’s protest against exploitation by Shell, Ada George took side with his former employer against the Ogoni people.
“That’s the person of Ada George, who was among those who took side with the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara when he threw rule of law to the dogs and was boasting that the State House of Assembly and its members existed only because he wanted them to exist.
“He never for once told Fubara the truth that it was illegal to run a House of Assembly of 32 members with just three members and that it the height of wickedness to deny fellow indigenes of Rivers State their entitlements, thereby making it difficult for to feed and take care of their wives and children.
“Today, at close to 85 years, the same Ada George, who was urging Fubara on in his regime of lawlessness, is addressing the press and advertising his shamelessly by accusing the FCT Minister of being behind the political crisis in Rivers State, including the imposition of a state of emergency and the appointment of sole administrators in all 23 local government areas.
“One wonders where he kept his position as an elder when members of the State House of Assembly, who are indigenes of Rivers State were deprived of their salary and other entitlements by Fubara.
“Also, did the same Ada George, not say that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a ‘meddlesome interloper who engaged in executive rascality by intervening in the crisis and reaching amicable resolutions that all parties signed?’
“Therefore, Ada George is advised to for once, be circumspect and stop advertising shamelessness at old age.”
