Aso-Rock, Abuja – President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, March 18, took a bold decision on the political crisis rocking Rivers as he declared a state of emergence in the oil-rich state as the parties involved refused to find a lasting peace between camps.
The two political titans in the state, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the immediate past governor of Rivers and minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, have been at loggerheads barely six months after the former resumed the mantle of leadership.
Why Wike have strong influence against Fubara
While Wike was no longer in office, 27 of the 30 lawmakers, led by the Martins Amaewhule leadership of the state house of assembly, a scenario which gave the former governor much strength in the battle.
Announcing the suspension of the executive and legislature on Tuesday, March 18, President Tinubu recalled his efforts to restore sanity in the state and the failure of the parties involved to let peace reign.
The president in his speech also pointed out three actions of the suspended Governor Fubara, which violated the rule of law. These violations cut across constitutional breaches and leadership qualities. These are the violations as pointed out by Tinubu.
Demolition of the state assembly complex
Tinubu in his address pointed out that Governor Fubara for “unjustifiable reason”, demolished the state house of assembly on December 13, 2023, and 14 months after, the governor did not rebuild it.
Legit.ng recalled that in December 2023, the assembly served an impeachment notice on Governor Fubara. In fighting back, the governor demolished the assembly complex, citing structural defects as the reason for his action.
Failure to implement the Supreme Court judgment
President Tinubu also pointed out that the governor failed to implement the Supreme Court judgment, one of which was the representation of the appropriation bill, adding that the governor and the lawmakers failed to understand that they are meant to work together for democracy to thrive.
The president cited an excerpt of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment that said that Governor Fubara deliberately collapsed “the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”
Failure to disown Ijaw youths’ violence threat
Also, President Tinubu pointed out that some militants had threatened violence, against their perceived enemy of the governor, which Fubara did not disown them up to Tuesday, March 18, when the state of emergency was declared.
Legit.ng recalled that the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) on Wednesday, March 5, threatened to destabilise oil production in the Niger Delta region should the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly impeached Governor Fubara because of the Supreme Court judgment.
Tinubu then explained that the security reports in Rivers had indicated that between Monday and Tuesday, militants have started vandalising pipelines in the state and the governor did not take any action on it.
Read the full speech of the president here:
Rivers lawmakers raise allegations against Fubara
The House alleged that the governor’s claim that he sent a letter to them was ridiculous and challenged him to present a copy of the document.
