- Odili, Omehia, Amaechi To Wade In After Tinubu Failed To Resolve Crisis
- Fubara Woes Continues As 3 Cabinet Members Resign
- Drama As Fubara Signs Budget A Day After Presenting It To Four Assembly Members
- APC Wades In, May Begin Impeachment Process Against Fubara
The crisis rocking the oil-rich state of Rivers State has continued to fester, assuming new worrisome development and triggering anxiety in the state amongst residents.
The Matrix reports that the state has been engulfed in a political crisis for a few months following the impasse between a godfather and his political son; former Governor Nyesom Wike and his successor Siminalayi Fubara.
Even an earlier intervention by President Bola Tinubu has failed to resolve the crisis as the political tension in Rivers State has now taken another worrisome dimension.
Earlier in the week, 27 lawmakers – originally elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – defected to the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in a show of power against the governor, but, the leader of another group in the Assembly Edison Ehie declared their seats vacant in the wake of the defection.
To assert authority, Fubara later demolished the Assembly complex, saying the structure which was gutted by fire two months ago was unfit.
He, thereafter, presented the 2024 budget to the Ehie-led group at the Government House in Port Harcourt after a court had barred the Martins Amaewhule-led group who are perceived allies of Wike from using the assembly.
Indications have now emerged that former governors in the state like Peter Odili, Celestine Omehia and Rotimi Amaechi will wade into the crisis.
Another former governor of the state, Chief Rufus Ada George worried by the spate of unnerving incidents in the state dropped the hint on Thursday while bemoaning the danger the unfolding crisis portends for Nigeria.
“I am deeply pained and worried over these embarrassing events and flagrant demonstration of impunity, power, and lawlessness because of the grave danger they portend to the peace and security of Rivers state and Nigeria as a whole,” he said.
“As the oldest former Governor of Rivers state, I call on all former Governors and their deputies to close ranks, come together, and collectively and frankly speak to our younger colleagues in the best interest of the state.
“Remember, we are duty bound to intervene in times like this by prioritising Rivers State first and above all other personal, sectional, and parochial interests” he disclosed in a statement he personally signed on Thursday.
The crisis rockin the state has continued unabated on Thursday after four critical members of the Fubara administration resigned their positions.
First to tender his resignation was Prof Zacchaeus Adangor who resigned as the Attorney-General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice in Rivers State.
Adangor’s resignation, dated November 14, 2023, was addressed to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Adangor said his resignation was based “purely on personal decision”.
Adangor was Rivers AG under the administration of Nyesom Wike, who was governor from May 2015 to May 2023.
Shortly after, three other commissioners left Fubara’s administration. They are the Commissioner for Works George-Kelly Alabo – who served in the same capacity under Nyesom Wike’s government – and the Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Commissioner Inime Aguma and their Finance counterpart Isaac Kamalu.
Their resignations were contained in separate letters to Governor Fubara.
“I hereby resign my appointment as the Commissioner for Works, Rivers State, effective immediately. My decision to resign is anchored on my conscience, personal philosophy, and professional ethics,” Alabo said in the letter addressed to the governor. “This decision was taken after deep introspection. I appreciate Your Excellency for the opportunity to serve my beloved Rivers State as Commissioner for Works.”
On her part, the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation cited “personal” reasons for her resignation from the cabinet and wished the current administration well.
“I hereby tender my resignation as the Honourable Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Rivers State on this day 14th of December 2023,” she wrote. “I thank Your Excellency for the privilege to serve in the State Executive Council. My decision to resign is personal and based on other pressing commitments. I wish Your Excellency a successful tenure and pray for best wishes in all your endeavours.”
The Finance Commissioner, however, did not state why he pulled out of the cabinet.
“I hereby inform you of my immediate resignation as Commissioner of Finance, Rivers State with effect from the date stated above,” he said in his letter. “I thank you for the opportunity granted me to serve our dear State under your administration.”
It would be recalled that Governor Fubara had stirred controversy on Thursday, when he signed into law the 2024 Appropriation Bill of N80bn a day after he presented the budget estimates to the State House of Assembly led by Edison Ehie and four other Assembly members.
Ehie and his loyalists subsequently approved the bill and the governor assented to it on Thursday.
The signing ceremony was held in the conference room of the Governor’s Office at the Government House.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu; some members of the State Executive Council, present and former lawmakers who support Governor Fubara, and some chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Local Government Areas.
Meanwhile, Mr Tony Okocha, the Caretaker Committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has said the party is considering initiating impeachment proceedings against Fubara over several constitutional infringements.
He said this on Thursday in Abuja while briefing newsmen.
“Although I am not a member of the state House of Assembly, impeachment is a democratic process. Impeachment is not a coup d’etat,” he said.
According to the APC chieftain, the party would do everything possible to protect the 27 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers who defected to the APC.
“So, we are telling the governor that he cannot thrive on illegality; we will petition the judge before the National Judicial Council (NJC) for giving that jankara order against our members.
“So, we want to appeal to our party to join us to defend our members who are being ill-treated by the Rivers House of Assembly,” he said.
