By Tessy Daminabo (Bureau Chief South South, in Port Harcourt)
Key members of governor Siminilaye Fubara's camp in the festering political crisis in Rivers State, South South, Nigeria, have expressed profound displeasure with the terms of settlement of the rift between the governor and his erstwhile political godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had, on Monday, December 18, 2023, initiated a peace process at the presidential villa, Abuja between the two embattled political godfather and godson, Nyesom Wike and Simi Fubara. Tinubu's effort was aimed at controlling the political tension in Rivers state from escalating into a total breakdown of law and order.
At the end of the peace parley, however, a number of resolutions were reached thus, that:
All matters instituted in the courts by the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, and his team, in respect of the political crisis in Rivers State, shall be withdrawn Immediately.
All impeachment proceedings initiated against the Governor of Rivers State by the Rivers State House of Assembly should be dropped immediately.
The leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly as led by the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule shall be recognized alongside the 27 members who resigned from the PDP.
The remunerations and benefits of all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and their staff must be reinstated immediately and the Governor of Rivers State shall henceforth not interfere with the full funding of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The Rivers State House of Assembly shall choose where they want to sit and conduct their legislative business without interference and/or hindrance from the Executive arm of government.
The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly.
7 The names of ALL commissioners in the Rivers State Executive Council who resigned their appointments because of the political crisis in the state should be resubmitted to the House of Assembly for approval.
- There should NOT be a caretaker committee for the local governments in Rivers State. The dissolution of the Local Government administration is null and void and shall not be recognized.
However, a member of governor Fubara's political camp who would not want to be mentioned in this report for obvious reasons of persecution, told NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Newspaper Correspondent in Port Harcourt on Monday evening that the settlement terms were "completely against us".
The respondent added that while the peace initiative from President Tinubu was welcome and commendable, the gains of the entire resolution terms was in favour of Wike's camp.
"You are a journalist, my sister. You can see it yourself that the Wike group were favoured by the president. But l know governor Fubara, he will walk away in order not to offend the president. But l can assure you that the matter is still far from being settled. Wike's excesses definitely will be curtailed in Rivers state. It's just a.matter of time. That's all l can tell you for now". NNL.
