Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers State, is apparently seeking his pound of flesh from his successor in office, Sir Siminilaye Joseph Fubara. Wike, who is also the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, is discreetly daring the governor to come after him for refusing to appear before his probe panel.

Governor Fubara had early last month instituted a seven member judicial commission of inquiry into the wanton killings, arsons and destruction of property that took place in five different local government councils secretariat in the aftermath of the October 5, 2024 LGA election in the state.

The panel, which was headed by Justice Ibiwengi Minakiri, was scheduled to investigate the violent attacks that erupted in Ikwerre, Khana, Eleme, Emohua, and Omuma local government councils secretariat, resulting in the death of at least five persons and looting of property.

The commission of inquiry, which was given one month to wind down its sitting and submit its findings and recommendations to the state government, had received several petitions, including oral and written evidence from some of those slated to appear before it.

Among those who were also invited before the commission on Monday, November 18, 2024, were the FCT Minister and some of his followers, including the sacked chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Tony Okocha.

But Wike and his identified aides, fingered in the killings, arsons, and destruction, failed to honour the panel’s invitations despatched to them through the courier service and newspaper advertorials.

Justice Minakiri expressed her disgust at the total disrespect shown to the commission by Wike and his followers, by their failure to either appear in person or through their counsel, nor even acknowledge the receipt of the invitation.

As the commission rounded off its public sitting on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, it is expected that the state government on receipt of the report might direct the commission to invoke the necessary powers under the judicial commission of inquiry Act, to do the needful by compelling those who turned down its earlier invitation to appear.

The whole drama is further escalating the political impasse between godfather Wike and his political godson, Fubara, which started October 30, 2023, following a failed impeachment move by 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. They have subsequently defected from their Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the APC.