- How Tinubu Finally Resolved Wike, Fubara Face-Off
- Fubara, Team To Withdraw All Matters In Court Immediately
- To Represent 2024 Budget To A Complete House Of Assembly
- Mandated To Recognise Amaewhule, 26 Allies Who Decamped To APC
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday, December 18, 2023 finally resolved the crisis in the oil-rich South-South state of Rivers which appeared to have defied all peaceful resolutions in the past and has restored peace.
Rising from a high-powered meeting on Monday that had the warring gladiators; Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in attendance, an 8-point resolution was arrived at to proffer an immediate resolution to the crisis.
Also at the meeting were ex-Rivers’ governor, Peter Odili; and some traditional rulers from the state.
Vice President Kashim Shettima; the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; and the National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu were also part of the meeting.
READ ALSO: Wike, Fubara Face-Off Continues
The Matrix reports that Rivers State has been engulfed in a political crisis for a few months due to an ongoing impasse between a godfather and his political godson.
The crisis escalated last week when 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.
READ ALSO: Rivers: Wike storms Port Harcourt amid face-off with Fubara
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 and signed the budget, a day later.
Several stakeholders have called on President Tinubu to wade into the ongoing crisis and resolve it which the president had now listened to.
The President and some elder statesmen had intervened in the crisis earlier in October but it degenerated into a full-blown face-off.
READ ALSO: Elders of Rivers State Frown at Moves to Impeach Fubara, want Tinubu to Intervene.
However, at the meeting with President Tinubu at the Aso Villa in Abuja, on Monday, the warring parties finally agreed to sheathe their swords.
Rising from Monday’s meeting, the warring parties agreed that all matters instituted in the courts by Fubara, and his team, be withdrawn immediately.
Fubara, Wike, Amaewhule and other gladiators in the crisis signed the agreement while Ribadu also signed the document.
READ ALSO: Rivers Crisis: Four More Commissioners Resign From Fubara Cabinet
The Wike camp also agreed that all impeachment proceedings initiated against the governor by the Rivers State House of Assembly be dropped immediately
The parties in the feud resolved to recognise the leadership of Martin Amaewhule in the Rivers State House of Assembly and not that of Edison Ehie.
The two camps agreed to recognise Amaewhule and his 26 allies who recently resigned from the PDP to the APC.
Other resolutions reached at the high-staked meeting include:
“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
READ ALSO: Rivers: LP Has Dropped Petition Against Fubara’s Election, Says Itubo
“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
“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 recognised.”
READ ALSO: 24 Hours After Presentation, Gov Fubara Signs 2024 N800bn Budget
It would be recalled that Wike in a show of attitude akin to an elder statesman had expressed interest in embracing peace following the face-off with Fubara.
Wike, however, vowed never to allow anybody drag him down amid his new stance for peace.
The immediate past governor disclosed this at his residence in Port Harcourt while addressing the traditional rulers of Ogbaland who visited him on the occasion of his 56th birthday.
According to Wike: “No politician will fold his hands and allow himself to be dragged down.
READ ALSO: Rivers Crisis: Fubara begins Demotion of Rivers Assembly Complex
“I and my team would accept peace but we won’t allow ourselves to be dragged down because when we go down, who will protect our people. Who will talk about our own interest.”
Fubara had come under heavy criticism from many quarters for displaying an act of ingratitude toward Wike who single-handedly installed him as governor.
