Two supporters of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, reportedly faced arrest in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, including a current member of the state House of Assembly named Sokari Goodboy. Another individual apprehended by the police was identified as Ezebunwo Ichemati, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state. Goodboy, representing Aboada West Constituency in the State House of Assembly, was among the governor’s loyalists. Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now serving as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, have been entangled in a political dispute since last year.
The reported arrests of Fubara’s loyalists occurred outside the venue of the National Executive Committee meeting of the PDP in Abuja. According to a viral video, a member of Fubara’s media team alleged that the arrests were made at the behest of a local government chairman in Rivers State. She claimed that the chairman instructed the police to arrest the serving Assembly member and targeted Ezebunwo, tearing his shirt. The media team felt uncertain about their situation, as the chairman allegedly ordered the arrest of all present.
Fubara recently criticized local government chairmen in the state, accusing them of disloyalty and warning them of consequences. It was gathered that the two loyalists were taken into custody by security operatives. Jerry Omotsegunwa, the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media, confirmed the incident and demanded their immediate release. He questioned the rationale behind singling out Fubara’s supporters for arrest when other governors also brought their supporters to the event.
