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UNEASE IN RIVERS AS FUBARA, LAWMAKERS FAIL TO MEET
There is still no love lost between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the lawmakers.
The expectation of a meeting between the governor and the lawmakers that would have broken a truce failed to hold.
The governor on Sunday sent a letter signed by Secretary the State Government Tammy Danagogo to the lawmakers for yesterday’s meeting. But the lawmakers failed to honour it.
Although, they held a plenary yesterday, the lawmakers did not speak on why they declined the invitation.
A principal official of the Assembly, who attended the plenary but spoke in confidence, said the lawmakers treated the invitation as a non-issue that required no attention.
“There was not time the lawmakers discussed anything like the governor’s invitation. They treated it as a non-issue”, he said.
But Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joe Johnson, said the governor looked forward to the meeting with excitement, but had to continue with other programme for the day after waiting for two hours.
Justifying the botched meeting, he said: :Even the President invites members of the National Assembly to discuss and resolve issues and governors also do the same. I don’t know why they turn this to another thing”.
During plenary, the Assembly resolved to issue a warrant of arrest on the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC ), Justice Adolphus Enebeli, following his failure to honour the invitations of the lawmakers.
Although the Assembly had given the electoral chief a 48-hour ultimatum to appear before the lawmakers, it was extended to a 72 hours last Friday. The ultimatum expired yesterday.
Apparently to forestall his appearance, Enebeli had dragged the House of Assembly to the state High Court in Port Harcourt challenging his summon by the lawmakers.
The RISIEC boss and his commissioners were asked to appear at the Assembly to explain the circumstances that surrounded the conduct of the 2024 local government elections, which were nullified recently by the Supreme Court.
The lawmakers also wanted the electoral agency to explain the sources of funding for the council polls and where they intended to raise the funds for the elections scheduled for August 9.
The House Leader, Major Jack, who observed the conspicuous absence of Enebeli, frowned at his flagrant refusal to honour the invitations.
Jack read the relevant paragraphs of Sections 129 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, emphasising the powers of the Assembly to compel Enebeli to appear before it.
Other lawmakers also condemned the attitude of the retired judge and his commissioners, describing it as abysmal.
Speaker Matins Amaewhule frowned at a situation where those, who appeared before the House for screening and confirmation when they were seeking appointments, later chose to treat the summons with levity.
He said the Assembly was empowered by Section128 of the Constitution to conduct investigation within its legislative competence.
He insisted that Justice Enebeli and his cohorts must be arrested and brought to the House for questioning on the public funds they spent in the guise of local government elections.
After the Speaker called for a vote, the lawmakers unanimously voted that a warrant of arrest be issued on Enebeli and his commissioners.
However, before the vote, the lawmakers acknowledged the presence of three former RISIEC commissioners, who recently resigned their appointments, citing the Supreme Court’s judgment.
The ex-commissioners – Lazbery Nnah, Prof. Simeon Weli and Mrs. Ibierembo Thompson – were grilled by the lawmakers on their various roles in RISIEC during the elections.
While Nnah and Weli tendered their resignations letters on March 7, Mrs. Thompson’s resignation became public knowledge on Monday.
Yesterday, three Bills; the 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 – passed through the First Reading in the House.
Miffed by the non-implementation of the apex court judgment, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the governor to comply with the verdict.
Fubara to supporters: be peaceful
Fubara urged his supporters to be calm, assuring that inspite of the political logjam, his administration would emerge stronger.
The governor discouraged his supporters from engaging in any form of violence, urging them to embrace peace.
Fubara spoke at the inauguration of the Palace of Nyeweali Akpor Kingdom, Eze Levi Amos Oriebe, built by the administration at Ozuoba in Obi/Akpor Local Government Area on Monday.
He urged his supporters and other residents to cheer up, saying that God would not allow his administration to be truncated half-way.
Fubara said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Nelson Chukwudi, that the ungodly motive of those planning to disrupt governance by worsening the political relationship would collapse.
He said: “I want to say to our teeming supporters. I know some of you; your spirits are high, some of you, your spirits are low. But, I want to assure you one important fact of life: God does not start a thing and end halfway.
“It doesn’t matter what the situation might be today. I assure you that we will come up again stronger and better. Continue to follow my footstep, and that footstep remains the path of peace. We need it because if anything happens, we are the greatest losers.
“Our concern for this state is not because of our own profit, but the total well-being of Rivers State. So, I appeal to everyone of you: be law abiding. I will not encourage any act of disobedience or any act of violence. But that is not to say that we will support evil. We will never support evil.”
Fubara said his administration is focused on good governance, adding that he would not renege on the promise of delivering impactful, people-oriented development projects.
The special guest, King Chike A. A. Worlu Wodo, Eze Oha Apara, Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, who commissioned the project, recalled that his own palace in Apara Kingdom was built by the same government a few months ago.
George sues for peace
Former Governor Rufus Ada Geroge, who spoke at the ceremony, also called for peace.
He also urged all parties involved in the crisis to immediately stop all threats, inflammatory statements, ultimatums and exercise restraint in their pronouncements to avoid escalating the tension.
He said: “We must draw lessons from history, particularly from the then 1962 Western Regional crisis as recently emphasised by one prominent citizen of that area. Avoidable crises of this nature, if not swiftly and fairly handled, may have far-reaching consequences, not just in Rivers State, but on the entire nation. We cannot afford to degenerate into such a crisis again.
“Although the Supreme Court has rendered its verdict, there is still room for humane and pragmatic decisions to be made. These can help alleviate the adverse consequences of the ruling on the people.”
“Already, the flashy lights are increasing by the day with the pronounced withholding of monthly allocations to the state. The end product and anger are being visibly seen on the faces of the ordinary man on the street”.
George said the parties should constantly cultivate compromise, adding that even in the most tensed and war-torn regions, compromise had proven to be a powerful tool for resolving conflicts and fostering peace.
Resign or be impeached, APC tells Fubara
The Rivers APC said Fubara should resign or be prepared for impeachment for not implementing the Supreme Court judgement
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The chairman, Tony Okocha, described the governor’s nvitation to the lawmakers as a Greek Gift.
Okocha recalled how Fubara had disrespected President Ahmed Tinubu when he intervened in the crisis, adding that he has also abused court judgements with impunity.
He said: “The invitation to the lawmakers is a Greek Gift. The Supreme Court Judgement is final. There is nothing anybody can do about it. The only option available to the governor now is for him to resign or be impeached.”
He added: “My response to the Greek gift the governor is attempting to extend to the 27 Lawmakers is that, it is not within the ambits of the law and its already belated.”
“It is stupidity that made Nza (small specie of bird), to challenge his chi (god), to a fight. We have always told the governor that if he brings insect infested firewood to his house, he has literally invited lizards to a feast.”
Okocha not speaking for APC, says Beke
But, Emeka Beke, who claimed to be Rivers APC chairman, said Okocha only spoke for himself and not the party.
He said in a statement: “I wish to inform the general public that Tony Okocha is not a known member of the party and is neither eligible nor qualified to speak for and on behalf of the party. Therefore, the APC calls on the good people of Rivers State to disregard the baseless call for the resignation of the governor by Tony Okocha, who is a known enemy of the state and a crisis merchant.”
Beke warned Okocha to desist from parading himself as the APC chairman in Rivers State, describing his actions as a public nuisance.
He added: “As a party, we are committed to supporting good governance and are happy that the governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Siminalayi Joseph Fubara, has rescued the state from the act of executive rascality, ceaseless abuse of our established cherished traditional institution, and gross mismanagement of the state’s monthly statutory allocation.
“He has demonstrated that accountability and transparency are the cornerstones of good governance.”
Beke also rejected the call for impeachment, sàying that such matters are governed by constitutional provisions and procedures, not by individuals making unfounded statements to the media.
He said: “Tony Okocha should learn that the issue of impeachment is a constitutional matter, with well-enacted provisions and procedures, and not something an individual will wake up and begin to address the media about.”
