The political rumpus and battle for the control of the soul and treasury of Rivers State appears to be turning for the worse, fuelling fears of actualisation of the planned impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by the 27 Lawmakers allegedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyeson Wike as the Rivers State House of Assembly on Friday adjourned its sitting indefinitely, after passing three bills into law.
The House adjourned in the face of a fresh letter from Fubara proposing to present the 2025 budget to the lawmakers next Wednesday, in obedience to the judgment of the Supreme Court.
With the sine die adjournment, the Governor is now left in the lurch, totally grounding the administration of the State.
The escalation of the crises and alleged rebuffing of peace moves by the former governor made the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and the former Deputy National Chairman and Board of Trustee member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George to ask President Bola Tinubu to call to order and prevail on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wike, to embrace reconciliation and peace talks being brokered by the Forum.
PANDEF threatened to disband their peace efforts if Wike refuses to embrace peace.
This was as the Ijaw National Congress (INC) said it would refrain from being provoked by the tirade of Wike against the Ijaw nation but would focus on peaceful resolution of the impasse while former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Dr. Chris Ekiyo warned Wike to guard his tongue and be cautious in his utterances against the Ijaw nation
During its plenary on Friday presided over by the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, the Rivers House of Assembly passed three bills aimed at strengthening the state’s legislative framework and improving governance.
This came about 24 hours after Fubara re-wrote the House that he was coming to present the 2025 appropriation bill, following the recent Supreme Court judgement on the political crisis in the state.
The three bills passed it was learnt included: Rivers State House of Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Bill, 2025, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) Bill, 2025, and the Rivers State Local Government Bill, 2025.
The Rivers State House of Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Bill, 2025, seeks to grant the House powers, privileges, and immunity to perform its legislative duties effectively.
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) Bill, 2025, aims to repeal the existing State Electoral Law of 2018 and re-enact a new one to provide for the establishment, composition, and functions of the Commission in line with the Electoral Act of 2022 and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Rivers State Local Government Bill, 2025, seeks to repeal the State’s Local Government Laws of 2018, 2023, and 2024, and re-enact a new Local Government Law that will be in sync with contemporary laws in the administration of Local Government Councils.
The passage of these bills was expected to have a significant impact on the state’s governance structure and administration.
Amaewhule, stated that the House was domesticating the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act of 2017 that gave certain powers and privileges to the Legislature in the performance of its function.
He averred that the RSIEC Bill was very crucial, given the need to be in tandem with the Electoral Act and the Constitution.
Similarly, the Speaker harped on the importance of making the Local Government Law reflect certain constitutional provisions, adding that the Rivers State House of Assembly would continue to perform its Legislative duties in the best interest of the people.
After the members unanimously voted in the affirmative for each of the three Bills, the Speaker passed them for onward transmission to the Governor for assent for the benefit of the State.
Amaewhule said, “For sacrificing your recess in the interest of the people, history will be kind to you.”
He further extolled them for going the extra mile in working for the State and the people. The House thereafter adjourned sine die.
Again, Fubara Writes Rivers Assembly on Presentation of 2025 Appropriation Bill
Meanwhile, Fubara had as part of efforts to obey the Supreme Court judgment, again written to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, notifying the lawmakers of his intention to present the 2025 appropriation bill.
In a letter dated March 13, 2025, and addressed to the Speaker, Amaewhule, the governor stated that he would present the budget to the Assembly on Wednesday March 19, 2025, at 11am or any other convenient date from them.
According to the letter, the governor said he was complying with both the order of the Supreme Court and the request of the State House of Assembly when he came to present the 2025 budget on March 12, 2025 but was locked out at the gate and denied entry into the premises.
Fubara had stated that despite prior delivery of a soft copy of notice to the Speaker due to the failure of the Clerk to accept the hard copy from them, the lawmakers denied him access to the assembly complex on May 12.
The governor recalled further that, before the unfortunate incident, the House had issued a 48-hours ultimatum to present the 2025 budget even when he was yet to be served with the certified true copy of the judgment and accompanying enrolled orders.
Fubara emphasised that no matter the depth of their differences (executive and legislature), he believes that the interests of the State and the people should take priority over political conflicts.
He said, “The Supreme Court has directed that all arms of government should exercise their powers and perform their duties within the ambit of the constitution and ordinary laws of our country, and this we must do to end the lingering stalemate and advance the progress of our State and the well-being of our people.”
INC, PANDEF, Bode George Tackle Wike
Meanwhile, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) has stated that its members would not be provoked by the recent comments from Wike, discrediting their ethnic nationality.
In a letter signed by National Publicity Secretary, INC, Chief Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, the group stated that Wike’s assertion that the Ijaws are minority of minorities betrays a lack of intellectual depth.
He said: “The INC has taken note of the recent remarks made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Given his eight-year tenure as Governor of Rivers State, we expected a more informed understanding of the state’s history.
“For the record, the Ijaws are the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, with over 40 million people, and the oldest tribe in Nigeria, as documented in history. They are the largest ethnic group in Rivers State, with eight local government areas, and also not a minority in Delta.
“We suspect that Wike’s comments were made under the influence of misinformation and otherwise. The Ijaws have consistently advocated for fairness and equity in the Niger Delta region and the South-South, and we will not be swayed by individual attempts to provoke us.”
The INC publicity secretary continued: “Wike’s intention to create divisions between the Ijaws and other ethnic nationalities has failed. The INC is aware of his plan to instigate crisis in the Niger Delta region, but we will continue to maintain peace and stability.”
The group however concluded that, “we call on President Ahmed Tinubu to caution Wike and redirect his focus to his ministerial duties”, assuring that the INC remains committed to preserving the harmony enjoyed by everyone in the region.
Also, PANDEF while asking Tinubu to prevail on Wike to embrace reconciliation and peace talks being brokered by the Forum also threatened to disband the peace and reconciliation committee chaired by a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, and withdraw from the peace initiative if Wike failed to make himself available for truce.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Attah, who is also the Chairman of Board of Trustees (BOT) in company with PANDEF chairman and other executives of the Forum said Wike had refused to submit to peace talks.
He lamented that the development was impeding the efforts of the committee.
PANDEF had constituted a peace and reconciliation committee chaired by the former Akwa Ibom governor to intervene and return peace to the state.
Attah said, “Since the President has thrown the ball back in our court, we intend to bring this impasse to his attention in the firm belief that he can intervene and cause his minister for the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike to come to the negotiation table with PANDEF.
“It must be realised that it is not possible to clap with one hand and negotiations can only take place if the parties in dispute agree to make themselves accessible and available.
“Should this fail, PANDEF would have no other choice than to disband the peace and reconciliation committee and withdraw totally from any attempt to resolve this unfortunate lock jam. Our fear, however, is that this could have catastrophic consequences.”
Chairman of PANDEF, Dr. Godknows Boladei Igali, also expressed displeasure over Wike’s alleged labeling of PANDEF, as the “worst organisation” after its meeting with Tinubu, and urged the President to prevail on the minister to retract the statement.
Reacting to the recent comment by Wike made against the Ijaw nation and people, Chris Ekiyor said: “The Ijaw nation is bigger than Wike. He has bitten more than he can chew to drag the Ijaw nation into simple political greed, saying it is unfortunate that when some privileged people in Nigeria find themselves in positions of power,. They suddenly forget who they are and tend to throw caution to the wind.
He said an Ijaw man in the person of former President Goodluck Jonathan made him Minister of State for Education adding that if the former President had not appointed him he won’t be what he is today.
“He rode on the goodwill of an Ijaw man, President Goodluck Jonathan to reach the zenith of his career. If for any reason he has supported Fubara to be governor it’s expected that when a governor is leaving office he finds a successor and sponsors the successor.
“Those resources are not his (Wike’s) resources, they’re the resources of Rivers State people to support a successor in an election. It’s tax payers’ money of Rivers State. It’s federal allocation of Rivers State that was used to champion the campaign to make Fubara the governor.”
He however cautioned Wike not to push his luck too far, saying. “When I hear Wike talk because of the euphoria of his status in Nigeria today about Ijaw people, I think he has gone too far. He needs to apologise to the Ijaw nation. Otherwise, what is coming to him he will not even understand because Ijaw people are very spiritual. We’re the reason Nigeria is together.”
Making an analysis of the geographic spread of the ethnic groups in Rivers State, Ekiyor asserted: “Ijaw people have nine local government areas that are entirely Ijaw out of the 23 local government areas. They share Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHALGA) with Ikwerre people. They share part of Ahoada West with Ahoada people. If you add it up that’s ten local government areas out of 23 for the Ijaws.
“How many local government areas does the Ikwerres have? Three, Ikwerre local government, Obio Akpor, Emohua, even the Emohua people are claiming that they are not Ikwerre.
“You move away from that every other person is Etche or other language they’re not Ikwerre. Ikwerres are a minority in Rivers. They’re lucky to have produced four governors. Peter Odili comes from Ogba/Egbema. He is not Ikwerre. If anything he is even nearer Ijaw than Ikwerre.”
Also, Bode George while weighing in on the matter warned that the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers could escalate and affect everyone if not addressed.
He criticised Wike’s recent media outbursts, saying they undermine Tinubu’s administration.
According to George, “Unless the President is not telling us the whole truth, I don’t know why a minister would embarrass his administration publicly,”
He accused Wike of overstepping his bounds, particularly with his impeachment threats against Governor Sim Fubara. “What is the meaning of ‘if they impeach Fubara, nothing will happen?’ Is Wike God?” George asked.
In the meantime, an Independent Judicial Accountability Panel on Friday faulted the Supreme Court’s judgement on the lingering political crisis in Rivers State.
The panel, at its inaugural meeting in Abuja, regretted that the apex court’s judgement on appeals emanating from legal disputes in Rivers State descended into live issues.
The Head of the 11-member panel and retired Justice of the Court of Appeal, Mojeed Owoade stated that, “the judgement of the Supreme Court in the consolidated appeals leaves a gap as to whether the issue of the alleged defection of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly is still alive or has been settled”.
According to Owoade, this was so because the court made comments on the issue of defection without actually addressing it.
He disclosed that their position was based on an exhaustive analysis of some recent cases of public interest.
While noting that the apex court may not have had anything before it, as at the time of the judgement, to establish that the 27 lawmakers were no longer bonafide members of the Rivers Assembly, the panel maintained that the apex court should not have commented on the issue at all since there were pending litigations on the matter.
Owoade ruled out the possibility of any of the parties filing application for judicial review of the judgement, on the grounds that the apex court has become functus-officio as far as the matter was concerned.
“Complex and lengthy judgements of courts defy easy comprehension and therefore undermine public trust,” the Justice Owoade-led panel noted, even as it urged judicial officers “to be mindful of their oath of office at all times.”
As part of its recommendations, the panel held that “politicians should generally avoid undue influence on the judiciary and be more accommodating of each other in the interest of their people.”
The media was also urged to be more courageous, factual and non-partisan in investigating and reporting the role of the judiciary in the country’s democracy.
Other members of the panel are two retired Justices of the Court of Appeal, Justices Chinwe Iyizoba and Oloduton Adefope-Okojie, as well as Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, Prof. Jummai Audi, Mr. Mac Imoni Amarere, Barr. Sechap A. Tsokwa, Andrew Mamedu, Judith Gbagidi, Barr. Funmi Olukeye and Celestine Okwudil.
Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah Sunday Aborisade, Blessing Ibunge and Adibe Emenyonu
