- Says Happenings In Rivers Dangerous, Without Peaceful Negotiation, It Can’t End Well
- Appeal Court Sets Aside Rivers 2024 Budget Passed By Edison-Ehie Group
For the second time in a week, the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has waded into the crisis rocking the oil rich south south state.
Earlier, the influential son of the soil called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in and arrest the crisis rocking the state and settle the rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, and settle the convoluted rift between the former political allies.
In his latest intervention, he called on elder statespersons in the Niger Delta to mediate between the duo.
Cole, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday, said what is happening right now in the state is dangerous, and without peaceful negotiation, it can’t end well.
The APC chieftain said with a political settlement, the two warring parties would continue a nearly unending political and judicial war to no end.
Cole said since the President’s intervention last year didn’t bring about the much-desired outcomes, Tinubu should bring together former First Lady, Patience Jonathan; former Rivers State Governor, Ada George; Port Harcourt-based preacher, David Ibiyeomie; and Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc founder, Atedo Peterside; to broker peace between the two sides.
READ ALSO: Rivers Crisis: Wike Breaks Silence, Bombs Fubara
The politician said, “There are certain people that Mr President has to empower to speak on his behalf and call the warring factors because they have a larger interest in the state.
“Just on the top of my head, I can name three or four people that he can empower to mediate. I will first call an old politician who has been governor of the state Ada George. I will also call somebody who is considered to be a very strong spiritual leader in the state, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, whom I know that they both respect.
“I will call an elder statesman who has very little to do with politics but is straight and forthright, someone like Atedo Peterside; and probably because of her interest in Rivers State and the whole dynamics with all that has happened, I will also call her excellency, Patience Jonathan.
“Give these four people the mandate to sit the two warring factions, whatever the case, bring these people who do not have a direct interest of gaining anything out of the mix and have them speak to these two warring factions because of the future of the state.
“If this does not work, it is fight to the finish,” he said but emphasised the need to “find an intervention that seeks a middle ground” to end the “Titanic battle to control Rivers State”.
READ ALSO: Rivers LG Crisis: Fubara Talks Tough, Vows To Deal Decisively With Arsonists
Meanwhile, in another development to the crisis rocking the state, The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court which set aside the N800 billion budget passed by five members of the Rivers State House of Assembly which was led by Edison Ehie-led.
The appellate court on Thursday dismissed the appeal filed by the Governor Fubara on grounds that it lacked merit.
The court held that Governor Fubara withdrew his counter-affidavit at the lower court in the matter and as such cannot commence an appeal in a matter he did not challenge at the trial stage.
In the unanimous judgement, the court said that Governor Fubara is expected to apply the rule of law and not the rule of might.
The court further says that the situation in Rivers State House of Assembly is an executive dictatorship by the governor and a joke taken too far.
Justice Omotosho had nullified the 2024 Rivers budget passed by pro-Fubara lawmakers and set aside the presentation and passage of the Rivers State 2024 budget.
In the judgment delivered Omotoso ordered Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers governor, to re-present the budget to the legally constituted House of Assembly under Martin Amaewhule.
Fubara had presented the budget titled: ‘Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity’ of N800 billion to five out of the over 30 lawmakers of the state house of assembly in December 2023.
In the judgment, Justice Omotoso ordered Fubara to release all funds accruable to the Rivers House of Assembly and barred the governor from interfering with the activities of the assembly.
The court also nullified the redeployment of the clerk and deputy clerk of the state assembly by the state’s head of civil service.
The judge held that the appointment of a clerk and deputy clerk is the responsibility of the speaker, as contained in the Rivers State Assembly Service Commission law.
The court further ruled that the inspector-general of police and the Nigeria Police Force were duty-bound to continue to provide security for all Rivers citizens, including members of the state assembly.
The court also ordered a pause on the planned demolition and reconstruction of the Rivers State Assembly complex.
