Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, may have handed lawmakers loyal to his political godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, an opportunity to assail his administration.
This assertion is hinged on the terms of an accord brokered by President Bola Tinubu and signed by Mr Fubara on Monday.
The President waded into the crisis between the former and current governors as it was festering to the dismay of political watchers.
Earlier, the partly burnt state House of Assembly complex was demolished by the state government ostensibly to obviate plenary meeting of the 27 assembly members loyal to Mr Wike who had defected to the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party. The state government had however said that the assembly complex was demolished because of structural defects caused by the fire.
A document outlining the outcome of the peace deal titled “Directives for the resolutions of the political impasse in Rivers State” was signed by the aggrieved parties including Mr Wike.
It was also signed by the National Security Adviser, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, factional Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, state APC Chairman, Tony Okocha and the state PDP chairman.
It appears the resolutions favour the rebellious lawmakers and consequently, Mr Wike, than the governor who agreed to “Immediately” withdraw the lawsuits instituted against the 27 lawmakers and to give them a complete freedom to choose any location they pleased to hold plenary sessions.
“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,” reads the fifth point of the resolution shared by Mr Tinubu’s aide on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
Recall that one of the grounds that the Supreme Court used to reinstate impeached then-governor of Oyo State in 2006, Rasheed Ladoja, was that dissenting lawmakers who conducted the impeachment process did so at a hotel rather than the state assembly complex.
The apex court then ruled that the convergence of the lawmakers at a hotel rendered whatever decision they made null and void.
It’s dicey that Mr Fubara would agree that the lawmakers, whom he knew to be staunch allies of Mr Wike, meet at any location of their choice instead of the state assembly complex for plenary meetings.
The accord also directed that the names of the four commissioners—believed to be Mr Wike’s supporters— who resigned from Mr Fubara’s administration following the feud be resubmitted for reappointment.
“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,” reads the seventh point on the accord.
It is believed that Mr Wike influenced the selection of the commissioners into Mr Fubara’s cabinet.
The accord further directed that remunerations and benefits of members of the state assembly and their aides must be released and Mr Fubara must not withhold their funds.
“The remunerations and benefits of 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,” the agreement, brokered by Mr Tinubu, stated.
No part of the peace deal directed the 27 lawmakers to return to the PDP— even though reversals were made to other earlier changes to maintain the status quo.
The budget the governor signed into law after obtaining the approval of five lawmakers led by Edison Ehie was also reversed as the accord asked him to resubmit the budget to the 32 lawmakers, adding that only the speakership of Amaewhule —also a Wike ally— would be recognised.
It added, “The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly.”
The only win for Mr Fubara on the accord was a part mandating the rebellious lawmakers to halt all impeachment proceedings against him. But political watchers believe that part does no fully ward off Mr Fubara’s impeachment if things took another turn in future since they had openly indicated who they are loyal to.
It seems Mr Fubara might have been cornered to a wall and signed his political death warrant after he appended his signature to the accord whose terms give his predecessor an edge over him.
Efforts to get the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Joe Johnson, to comment on the issue and confirm the veracity of the peace document were not successful. He didn’t reply the call made to his mobile as of the time this report was filed.
