It looks like Rivers State’s political situation is far from resolved.
After meeting behind closed doors at the presidential villa on Monday night, the warring parties signed an accord, signaling the beginning of the end of hostilities.
Following the discussion, Governor Siminalayi Fubara made his commitment to maintaining calm in the state known during his first official outing.
“No price will be too big to pay to ensure that peace prevails,” he declared.
There are questions, though, over whether Fubara and former governor Peter Odili truly signed the eight-point resolution, which is thought to have strongly favored Nyesom Wike, the governor who was just removed.
Stress and concern were present before to the president’s most recent intervention since the power struggle in Rivers over the past two months has reached a spectacular height.
Wike has refuted claims that he requested a certain portion of Rivers’ revenue during the crisis.
The State House of Assembly has also attempted to remove the governor from office.
Wike accused Fubara of masterminding the attack, which included bombing the Assembly complex.
Subsequently, the state administration ordered the demolition of the House of Assembly complex in order to make renovations.
In an effort to remove Wike from office, twenty-seven members of the State House of Assembly who were devoted to him switched from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The lawmakers said that the main cause of their departure to the APC was internal PDP strife.
However, with the support of a High Court ruling that granted legitimacy to the divided House of Assembly members who supported him, Fubara went to the government house to present the 2024 budget proposal to the four legislators led by Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie.
The governor has since signed the budget proposal into law when it was later accepted.
During this time, a wave of resignations from Fubara’s cabinet members also occurred. They were said to be people who agreed with Wike’s viewpoint.
As the issue worsened, seven commissioners submitted their resignations.
Nonetheless, it was thought that the Monday meeting, which was attended by Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, former State governors Peter Odili and Nyesome Wike, as well as other stakeholders, had created opportunities for reconciliation.
The meeting was reportedly attended by the president’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, vice president Kashim Shettima, and national security adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
According to information obtained, Wike may have taken over the state’s political apparatus as a result of the resolution approved during the meeting, which has not gone over well with Fubara’s group.
Governor Fubara was instructed to re-present the 2024 appropriations bill to the entire House, following his earlier presentation of it to the four-member state House of Assembly, per the eight-point resolution signed at the conclusion of the meeting.
Additionally, Tinubu mandated the immediate withdrawal of all legal actions brought by Fubara and his group concerning the political unrest in the State.
The statement stated: “All legal actions brought by Rivers State Governor Sir Fubara and his associates concerning the political unrest in the state would be promptly discontinued.
“The Rivers State House of Assembly’s impeachment procedures against the governor of Rivers State ought to be promptly abandoned.
Along with the 27 PDP members that resigned, the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly, headed by the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, will be acknowledged.
“The Governor of Rivers State shall not interfere with the full funding of the Rivers State House of Assembly going forward, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and their staff shall immediately resume their salaries and benefits.”
“The executive branch of government shall not interfere with or obstruct the Rivers State House of Assembly’s ability to conduct legislative business at any location.
“A duly elected Rivers State House of Assembly will hear a re-presentation of the state budget from Rivers State Governor Sir Fubara.
“The House of Assembly should approve the resubmission of the names of all commissioners in the Rivers State Executive Council who resigned their appointments due to the political unrest in the State.”
“Rivers State local governments shouldn’t have a caretaker committee. The Local Government administration’s dissolution is void and will not be acknowledged.
The PDP’s insistence that the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, set a date for new elections to fill the 25 vacancies in the Rivers State House of Assembly is a sign that things are still not right.
“Our Party insists that having now vacated and lost their seats, the only option available for the former lawmakers, if they wish to return to the House of Assembly, is to seek fresh nomination and re-election on the platform of any political party of their choice in line with the provisions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution,” the PDP stated in a statement read by its acting National Chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum, in an apparent rejection of the truce mediated by President Tinubu.
“The twenty-five former legislators from Rivers voluntarily and without justification left their positions, fully aware of the ramifications of defecting from the Party that had granted them election to the Rivers State House of Assembly without meeting the requirements outlined in the 1999 Constitution.
To be clear, the 25 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly left the PDP, and there is no reason for them to have done so, either at the national or local levels. As a result, they left their seats for reasons that are only known to them, and they are unable to return to the House of Assembly without first going through a new election procedure in line with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2022.
Furthermore, in accordance with Section 109 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Barr) Ehie O. Edison DSSRS, formally proclaimed the seat of the defecting, now-former members empty. As Functus Officio in this case, the Rivers State House of Assembly is unable to re-admit the former legislators unless a new election is held.
Therefore, our party advises the former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to be wary of being duped by someone in Abuja who offers them unrealistic assurances and false hope that they can reenter the House of Assembly without holding new elections or that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may prevent new elections from being held in the 25 Rivers State Constituencies where vacancies have arisen as a result of their defection.
“All members of our great Party in Rivers State are charged by the national leadership of the PDP to remain united and resolute in the defense of constitutional democracy and the Rule of Law in Rivers State.”
In a similar vein, Ijaw national leader Chief Edwin Clark criticized the resolutions in a response to a Tuesday interview with journalists.
He stated that the resolution’s goal was to transfer the state’s political leadership to the current Federal Capital Territory, or FCT, Minister.
He claimed that it was clear from the wording of the alleged settlement that Tinubu had used his mediation position to express his thanks to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory for “delivering” Rivers state to him in the previous presidential election.
We will oppose any attempt, no matter how subtle, covert, overt, or subterranean, to turn Rivers State Governor Siminialayi Fubara—an elected Ijaw son—into a stooge or servant of Nyesome Wike, who had boasted that we would oppose any attempt by the Governor, with President Bola Tinubu’s complicity and support, to touch his so-called “Wike’s structure.”
“As I previously stated, we will use every constitutional and legal tool at our disposal to fight back against this outrageous conduct in court. On that subject, I would want to ask the angry young people to keep their cool because we will take legal action to overthrow the oppressive hydra-headed monster.
Elder statesman and attorney Robert Clarke, SAN, concurred, stating that the President lacks the constitutional authority to intervene in the Rivers State dispute and the power struggle between Fubara and Wike.
In an interview with Arise News, Clarke revealed this, claiming that the concept of independent candidacies in elections will resolve most of Nigeria’s political problems.
“In all of this controversy, the President’s constitutional involvement should have been zero. There has been none provided for because we were not expecting it.
The only occasion—and the only constitution—that permits the federal government to intervene in a local matter is when a state of emergency was issued in the western states under the First Republic.
“The president is aware that he has no authority. No amount of legal expertise can aid him. It is not possible to have Robert Clarke come and amend the law so that the president can come and take action. In accordance with which sections of the Constitution? Therefore, as of right now, the law did not grant Tinubu a constitutional power to intervene in matters of state.
Shehu Sani, a former federal politician, concurs that the crisis is far from resolved.
According to Sani, a former senator from Kaduna Central, the peace resolution is opposed to the governor of Rivers State.
The peace agreement was compared by him as taking the knife out of Fubara’s neck and putting it behind his back.
The agreement, according to the former lawmaker, would merely buy time for another round of fighting.
“I’ve read the Rivers contract now. The agreement will take the knife from Sim’s neck and place it behind his back.
The agreement will cover the ax with foliage. While the agreement appears to promote peace, it actually buys time for more fighting on the inside.
Sani posted on his X handle, “However, It can be better if the dialogue is periodically assessed and improved upon.”
In response to the news, Kenneth Ibuchukwu Nwodo—a former Special Assistant to former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi commented, stating that the peace agreement can be interpreted as a promotion of godfatherism in Nigerian politics.
The resolution, according to Nwodo, is unacceptable and will not allow the country to progress under godfatherism.
“It’s just a matter of taking a man who believes in a monogamous marriage and giving it to someone who believes in polygamy,” he remarked. We are both aware of the type of criticism he would offer.
For some of us, this type of peace agreement merely serves to legitimize godfatherism in Nigerian politics.
“I wonder when the country will grow if godfatherism in politics persists; it is impossible for the country to grow. And I believe that the reason such a resolution can be upheld is because the individual at the center believes in such a system.
It’s unacceptable to me. However, what are our options? They own the country and are free to act as they like.
He said, “The resolution stated that members of the House may choose where they wish to have their sitting. Not at all! They can be granted security by the executive.
“They are unable to decide where they wish to be. Do you think they could meet in a person’s living room? Is that the finest available?
According to Onyebuchi Igboke, convener of the Office of the Citizens and project manager for Advocacy Partnership for Good Governance, people were shocked that the governor decided to sign the resolution.
“It’s a very dangerous thing for him to have agreed,” he added, characterizing the majority of the resolution’s elements as dangerous traps.
He stated, “Many people are interested in the situation in Rivers State or the political misunderstanding between the current governor, Fubara, and his predecessor, Wike, because of Nyesom Wike’s recent character and attitude, even before and after the election.
People found him to be uncomfortable in his attempt to be a political emperor.
Because democracy is a tenured system, even civil societies will not support these kinds of activities. Furthermore, it is anticipated that after your term is up, you will yield your seat to a newly elected governor.
The majority of people are taken aback by the governor’s decision to sign the resolution. He consented to something that was quite risky.
“People are aware that Wike brought him all by himself, however he did it, from the party primary to the election, which is why they are already supporting him despite their belief that he was just another puppet brought by Wike.
“People’s trust in his government has already begun to grow. However, the President abruptly called a peace conference,
based on what is available to the general public.
The majority of the items on the resolution’s list appear to be risky traps. The governor needs to exercise extreme caution and tact.
Clearly, people are observing. It’s important to act it out rather than just sign papers.
This is a political conflict. Although Wike is a warrior, the governor needs to be careful.
“People anticipate that Fubara will prevail in this fight because Wike has made a lot of noise and engaged in illegal political maneuvering.”