The recent resignation of the factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, has led to speculations that the former lawmaker, who represented Ahoada-East Constituency II in the State House of Assembly, would replace Hon. Chidi Amadi, a kinsman to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, as the Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
If it is true, the development is a strong indication that Governor Fubara is building his own political structure to prepare for what many believe is an inevitable battle ahead.
Fubara had on Tuesday said the resignation of Ehie was for peace to reign in the state.
Rivers State has been embroiled in a political crisis, following a failed move by 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike to impeach Fubara.
President Bola Tinubu had waded into the crisis and invited the players, who signed an eight-point resolution to resolve the crisis.
Many said the resolutions were skewed in favour of Wike and warned Fubara against accepting it, but the governor insisted that he would abide by the terms of the resolutions.
Ehie, who opposed the impeachment move, had tendered his resignation from the legislature and wrote to inform the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of his decision, fuelling the speculations that he has been appointed as the new Chief of Staff.
Though Ehie, in his resignation, did not give any reason, Fubara said all the steps that had been taken were calculated to ensure peace.
Many had wanted Fubara to reject Tinubu’s intervention and fight Wike but others believe that with the state’s political structure under the control of the FCT minister, it would be political suicidal for the governor to battle him.
If Ehie turns out to be the new Chief of Staff as is being speculated, it means Fubara has started building his own structure for the impending battle with the FCT minister.
The governor needs to win the support of more political leaders in the state, particularly the members of the state House of Assembly for him to fight the FCT minister.
He also needs to appoint his trusted allies as personal aides and not the current aides imposed on him by Wike.
