Group Accuses Fubara of Funding Online Attacks against Wike

Group Accuses Fubara of Funding Online Attacks against Wike

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

A socio-political group, Concerned Rivers People (CRP), has accused Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, of allegedly funding social media campaigns aimed at tarnishing the image of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The allegation was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Director of Communication of the group, Robinson Uke, in which CRP claimed that the alleged online attacks were part of a deliberate effort to discredit the FCT minister before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to the group, the engagement of bloggers and social media influencers by public officials to shape political narratives has become commonplace in Nigeria, but it alleged that Governor Fubara had taken the practice further by targeting Wike.

“Bloggers engaged by public officials to influence politics in Nigeria have become the norm, as we are aware of deliberate moves by Fubara to denigrate the hardworking FCT minister before Mr President,” the statement said.

CRP, however, commended some influencers who, it said, rejected alleged financial inducements to participate in the campaign.

“This obviously will not fly, as we are also aware that some bloggers equally turned down mouth-watering offers, declaring that the minister has not in any way attacked the Rivers governor, either directly or indirectly,” Uke said.

The group maintained that Wike’s public comments had been limited to calling for adherence to prior political agreements, insisting that the minister had not engaged in personal attacks against the Rivers governor.

“All the FCT minister has said is that an agreement is an agreement, and Fubara should swallow his pride and respect the agreement,” the statement added.

CRP further alleged that public funds were being expended on social media campaigns without legislative backing, a development it described as raising serious ethical and accountability concerns.

“He is lavishing hard-earned taxpayers’ money of the state on social media influencers across the country without an Appropriation Act to back his spending,” the group alleged.

According to CRP, such actions undermine transparency and accountability in governance and contribute to the spread of misinformation and political manipulation in the digital space.

The group also thanked bloggers who, according to it, refused to be used for political attacks, saying their stance reflected commitment to truth and professionalism.

“We want to specially thank those bloggers who are standing by the truth and refuse to be used,” the statement said.

Efforts to get a reaction from the Rivers State Government were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.