Rivers Can Thrive Without Wike, Annkio Briggs Declares Amid Impeachment Crisis

|By Chinwendu Nwani

A Rivers State political stakeholder, Annkio Briggs, has dismissed claims that the state’s political survival is tied to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, insisting that Rivers State can function effectively without him.

Briggs made the assertion on Thursday during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, while reacting to the escalating political tension in the state following impeachment moves by the Rivers State House of Assembly against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.

Questioning the narrative advanced by Wike’s supporters, Briggs criticised repeated references to an alleged political agreement said to underpin the current crisis. She queried the substance and legitimacy of such claims, arguing that no individual should be portrayed as indispensable to the existence of an entire state.

She faulted the slogan “no Wike, no Rivers State,” describing it as politically unacceptable and contrary to democratic principles. According to her, Rivers people would not endorse the idea that the fate of the state rests on one man.

Briggs maintained that Governor Fubara enjoys broad-based, grassroots support across the state, which she described as organic and resilient. She argued that this backing would endure even if the governor were to switch political parties in a bid to stabilise his administration.

She further noted that political loyalty in Rivers State should be driven by performance and prevailing circumstances rather than party affiliation or individual influence. While clarifying that she is not a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Briggs emphasised her identity as a Rivers indigene who prioritises the state’s interest when casting her vote.

The remarks come amid deepening divisions within the state’s political class, as impeachment threats and power struggles continue to heighten uncertainty over Rivers State’s governance.