Eradiri Slams Governor Diri, Urges Sim Fubara to Apologise to Wike Over Political Fallout

The Labour Party’s (LP) 2023 governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Udengs Eradiri, has openly criticised Governor Douye Diri for allegedly encouraging suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to disrespect his political mentor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

In an exclusive interview with Punch, Eradiri weighed in on the escalating feud between Wike and Fubara, describing the situation as a personal and party matter that has been unnecessarily escalated into an ethnic crisis. According to him, the situation could have been resolved quietly within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), but political miscalculations and incompetence have now inflamed it beyond proportion.

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Eradiri expressed strong disapproval of what he called Fubara’s early betrayal of Wike, who, he insists, was instrumental in Fubara’s rise to power. He argued that Fubara, who had not been politically visible before Wike’s endorsement, owes his current position entirely to the FCT Minister.

“Who is Sim without Wike?” Eradiri asked. “It is disloyal on the part of an Ijaw man to bite the finger that fed him. That’s what Sim did. In three months, he began to bite the hand that fed him.”

He added that Fubara’s only realistic option is to “go back and kneel before Wike” and apologise for disrespecting him. “Me, I don’t tolerate it,” Eradiri said firmly. “Wike may have his excesses, but three months? That’s too early to rebel.”

Diri’s Alleged Role and Bayelsa’s Power Dynamics

Eradiri did not spare Governor Diri of Bayelsa either, accusing him of encouraging Fubara’s rebellion while presenting himself as a loyal figure to his own predecessor. According to Eradiri, Diri has kept nearly all commissioners and political appointees from the previous administration as a sign of respect and political balance. This, he argues, stands in stark contrast to the advice Diri is allegedly giving Fubara.

“The Commissioner for Finance in Bayelsa is the longest-serving commissioner in Nigeria—go and find out,” Eradiri stated. “It’s because Diri respects his boss. Why then is he encouraging Sim to disrespect his own boss?”

He further noted that Bayelsa State House of Assembly members have retained their positions for multiple terms, a development he attributes to agreements upheld by Governor Diri with his predecessor. Eradiri believes this makes Diri’s role in the Wike-Fubara conflict both hypocritical and damaging.

“You respect your own, send a private jet to bring him in, but you want your brother to disrespect his boss,” he said. “And then when the heat comes, you cry ‘Ijaw problem’ and ban Wike from entering Bayelsa.”

PDP Crisis Masquerading as Ethnic Conflict

Eradiri argued that the entire crisis is being mischaracterised as an ethnic or Ijaw issue, when in reality, it is a simple intra-party conflict within the PDP. He emphasized that the players involved—Wike, Fubara, Diri, George Turnah, and the state assemblies—are all PDP members, and the issue should be resolved within party structures.

“It’s a simple party crisis, but due to incompetence, they’ve turned it into an Ijaw matter. Ijaw people should now come and fight? That is not correct,” he said.

Eradiri warned that by politicising the issue through ethnic mobilisation, the parties involved are creating deeper divisions that could destabilise the region further. He lamented how supporters of Fubara who have risked their lives might become victims of political witch-hunts if the tide turns.

Fubara Lacks Political Management Capacity, Says Eradiri

Going further, Eradiri questioned Fubara’s capacity to manage political interests, claiming that a governor must be able to balance both state resources and political loyalty.

“If you don’t have capacity, you cannot manage political interest,” he said. “Sim does not have that capacity. That’s why he can say ‘my spirit has left government.’ What about the people who supported you? What about those who died standing firm for you?”

He criticized Fubara for emotionally detaching himself from the government, warning that such rhetoric alienates loyal supporters who may now be targeted by new political forces.

In closing, Eradiri urged Fubara to retrace his steps and make peace with Wike to avoid further political disaster. He painted a picture of a fragile political structure held together by agreements and loyalty, which, if broken, could unravel careers and create unnecessary conflict.

“Go and kneel before your boss and say, ‘Forgive me.’ That is the only solution,” Eradiri concluded.