…warn Wike, urge Tinubu to call Minister to order
More groups, on Wednesday, expressed anger over the alleged plans to use the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The groups, which are mainly of the Ijaw ethnic nationality, also vowed to defend the embattled Fubara.
One of the groups, Ijaw National Congress, advised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to allow the Governor to concentrate on leading Rivers State to prosperity. INC also urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rein in Wike’s excesses by calling him to order.
President of INC, Professor Benjamin Okaba, who spoke on News Night on Arise Television, said the Federal Government must take the urgent steps to avert the looming disaster in Rivers State.
Okaba’s warning followed the stalemated situation after Governor Fubara was denied access to the Rivers State House of Assembly complex to present the 2025 budget to the lawmakers who are Wike’s loyalists.
Governor Fubara is of Ijaw ethnic nationality.
According to the INC president, “President Tinubu has the choice of choosing between Wike and Ijaw Nation. Let him be encouraging him (Wike) to mess up himself in public.
“Let him encourage him to be insulting people. But should the otherwise happen, they should not hold the leadership of Ijaw nation responsible. So far he wants as many structures as possible to fall and die with him, we shall help him.
“He is frustrated and becoming so desperate because the political economy of Rivers State is slipping off; he will not win. Wike will not win; government is not about individuals. One person cannot be more powerful than an institution. That is the statement we are making.
“We have not seen any error or crime committed by the governor. And as a true son of Ijaw nation, the INC shall apply every legitimate effort to support and defend our own.”
Already, fears are being in many quarters in Rivers State that the perennial political crisis could obstruct the peace in the oil-rich state, the Niger Delta and by extension, Nigeria as a whole.
Similarly, an elder statesman and member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Forum, Anabs Sara-Igbe, condemned the action of the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who allegedly denied Fubara access to present the state’s budget to them.
Sara-Igbe, who is the pioneer spokesman for the Pan Niger Delta Forum, described the action of the lawmakers as provocative and an insult to Rivers people.
Sara-Igbe, who is also the National Chairman of South South Elders Forum, said denying the Governor access to the Assembly complex was not an insult to Fubara as a person, but to the people of Rivers State.
He said, “The governor was elected by millions of Rivers people. As the chief executive officer of the state, he has unhindered access to all the facilities within the state. Blocking him from entering the complex is a direct insult and embarrassment to the people of Rivers state.
“It is now very clear that the governor is ready for peace. But these people are not ready for peace.”
The elder statesman added that Fubara has always wanted peace; hence on the advice of President Bola Tinubu, he withdrew the case he had against the lawmakers last year even when they refused to withdraw theirs.
Commenting on the FCT Minister’s outbursts
during a live media chat on Wednesday morning that Fubara can be impeached and “heaven will not fall”, the elder statesman noted that pouring insults on the Ijaw people will not help Wike and the resolution of ongoing political crisis in Rivers.
He stated, “He should remember that during the time of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the production rate of crude dropped drastically from 2.4million barrels per day to a paltry 700,000bpd until the elders of the Ijaw nation and the Niger Delta pleaded with the various militant groups including the Avengers, movement for the emancipation of the Niger Delta, among others to stay action.
“The nation’s economy today is at a sad point. We don’t want anything to happen to the crude oil production. The minister should be mindful of his utterances. While we plead for all parties in the crisis to follow the path of peace, we all should also mind what we say per time,” he said.
Wike had also dismissed the group, saying it is not a major ethnic entity in the Niger Delta region.
Last week, leaders of the Ijaw Youth Council also warned that they would resist any forceful attempt to remove Fubara from office.
The INC said that should those threatening impeachment against Fubara carry out their threat, the youths of Ijaw nation will be left with no other options than to shut down all the flow stations in the Niger Delta.
President of IYC, Theophilus Alaye, in a statement, said those threatening impeachment against Fubara should be careful because any forceful attempt to remove him from office will be resisted.
He also warned that it was the fierce quest of the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN) to take over opposition controlled states that led to the military take-over in 1983.
Alaye urged the Tinubu government not to create situations that would destroy the current democratic experience.
Recall that the Supreme Court recently reinstated the Martin Amaewhule-led leadership of the Assembly, dismissing Fubara’s appeal challenging the legitimacy of 27 lawmakers. Following the judgment, the Assembly, loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the governor to submit the 2025 budget.
However, when Fubara arrived at the temporary assembly complex on Port Harcourt-Aba Road, he found the gates locked. Assembly sources claimed the governor did not officially inform lawmakers of his visit despite a leaked letter dated March 11 informing the lawmakers of the visit.
Fubara, while addressing journalists, accused Speaker Amaewhule of deliberately avoiding him, stating that calls to the lawmaker went unanswered.
“Before my arrival here, I made several attempts to speak to the speaker. I also sent a letter transmitted for this particular invitation. Unfortunately, at the gate, you can see that the place is completely sealed, and there is no sign that anything is going to happen today,” Fubara said.
The Governor insisted his actions were in the public’s interest, adding, “The reason why we are doing this, I have always said, is in the interest of our people, which is the most important thing. I don’t think there is anything to worry about. I expect to hear from them after today.
“I still believe, maybe, they might be instructed later. If they are instructed, I’m still ready to come any day to get this particular issue sorted out,” the governor said.
But soon after Fubara left the Assembly premises, Speaker Amaewhule reconvened the House, where lawmakers resolved to call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate retired Justice Adolphus Enebeli, Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), over the commission’s financial activities.
Speaking on the motion, Amaewhule cited Section 128 of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the House to investigate any person, ministry, department, or agency within its legislative jurisdiction. The House, thereafter, voted in favour of the motion, adopting all its prayers.
