The Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly, on Sunday, asked Governor Siminalayi Fubara to channel his invitation to the members properly and not through social media.
The reaction followed the invitation to the Assembly to a meeting with the governor at the Government House, on Monday (today).
Fubara, through the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, said the meeting, scheduled for 10 am, was expected to address key issues, including the provision of sitting space for the Assembly, payment of outstanding allowances, and the presentation of the 2025 budget.
The 27 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the former governor, Nyesom Wike, may, however, reject the invitation except their condition is met by the governor.
One of the lawmakers, Isaiah Opuende who represents Akuku-Toru Constituency 2, blasted the governor for inviting the Assembly members via social media.
Opuende urged the governor to communicate with them appropriately, adding that it was surprising that Fubara would call them after he had told them at several fora to “dey their dey.”
He stated, “It is time for us to determine our dey. When the ‘dey your dey’ started, our principal said the time for our own ‘dey your dey’ will come. Now, our ‘dey your dey’ has come.
“Dey your dey make we dey our dey. How can you wire a letter and post it on social media and expect us to honour it? You know we are not kids. The governor should properly write to the Assembly. That’s all. Thank you.”
Similarly, some former local government chairmen who served during the tenure of Wike were also seen in a viral video, singing and mocking Fubara over the invitation extended to the Assembly members.
A former chairman of Ikwerre LG, Dr Samuel Nwanosike, with scores of other dancing and singing in a mocking manner, asked the governor not to disturb the Speaker, Amaewhule.
They sang repeatedly, “Dey your dey, make I dey my dey, dey your dey, nobody worry Amaewhule.”
Following the Supreme Court judgment affirming their legitimacy, the lawmakers, in their first sitting, urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 budget. They also demanded that he submit nominees for commissioner and other appointments, insisting that those currently serving in the cabinet lacked legal backing.
Additionally, they summoned the chairman and commissioners of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission to appear before them on Monday.
However, the requests were ignored, as Commissioner for Information, Joseph Johnson, stated that the government was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment before taking action.
The CTC was eventually released on Thursday evening and widely published in national dailies on Friday.
In a bid to establish a relationship and woo the lawmakers, the SSG, Danagogo, wrote a letter addressed to the Speaker, Amaewhule, on Sunday, titled, “Meeting between the Governor of the Rivers State and the Honourable Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”
Danagogo stated in the letter that the meeting became necessary following the governor’s receipt of the CTC of the Supreme Court judgment.
The letter said the discussion would centre on the provision of a space for the lawmakers to be sitting, presentation of the 2025 budget, among others.
The statement read, “I hereby write in furtherance of His Excellency’s promise stated in my letter dated 5 March 2025 to notify you that His Excellency has received the Supreme Court judgment, and has, therefore, directed me to invite you and your colleagues – the honourable members of Rivers State House of Assembly, to a meeting to discuss:
“Provision of a befitting space for the Assembly’s sittings, payment of all outstanding remuneration or allowances of the Honourable members;
“Presentation of budget and sundry matters. Any other matter(s), as may be necessary, to chart the way forward in the best interest of the state.
“Sequel to the above, I hereby humbly invite the Rt. Hon. Speaker, and all the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to a meeting with the Governor as follows”
The invitation of the lawmakers by the governor came as the 72-hour ultimatum given to the RSIEC chairman to appear before the House expires today.
Amaewhule had, during plenary on Friday, said the Assembly had taken legislative notice of Fubara’s failure to forward names of his commissioner nominees to the House for screening.
Efforts to reach the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Johnson, failed as his mobile line was not connecting as of the time of filing this report.
APC hails invitation
The development was hailed by the Chief Tony Okocha-led All Progressives Congress and the Emeka Beke-led faction, loyal to former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi.
The Okocha faction, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, described Fubara’s invitation to the lawmakers as a welcome development.
The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Chibuike Ikenga, disclosed this during a telephone chat with our correspondent on Sunday.
Ikenga expressed the hope that the move would lead to a resolution of the crisis between the two arms of government in the state.
He stated, “Our position as a party is to the effect that whatever will bring lasting peace to Rivers State is what we support.
“And the two sides, the executive and the legislature, should make all these overtures to engender confidence building which of course will lead to a final resolution of this crisis.
“The Supreme Court had already put a nail on it, but interpersonal relationships between the leaders of the two arms of government are encouraged. There are overtures expected from the two sides which have quarrelled for close to two years.
“That the Rivers State House of Assembly had written letters to the governor and the governor has also responded and the governor has written, inviting them as part of the follow-up of the earlier letter, we welcome all these processes and procedures that will lead to final resolution.”
Also, the Chief of Staff to the Beke-led APC, Chizi Entire, described the development as a win-win situation.
He commended the governor for keeping to his promise of implementing the Supreme Court judgment.
“The letter written by the governor to the Assembly shows that he is a man who believes in the rule of law and who can also maintain his stand and do what he says. This is the first move to ensure orderliness in the state. The governor sees that the people matter and not him.
“So making peace with the lawmakers is the best thing he can achieve for now. When it is achieved, I think the state will move forward.
“The Supreme Court has recognised the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly and the governor does not have any option but to obey the judgment of the Supreme Court.
“It is a win-win. Nobody is a loser and nobody is a winner,” he said.
Ex-LG chairs
Former chairmen of Ijaw-dominated local government areas in Rivers State have condemned threats by non-state actors over the political crisis in the state.
Some groups had threatened to disrupt oil production and cause a crisis in the state if Fubara was impeached.
The former campaign coordinators for Fubara in their various local government areas called on the police, the Department of State Security and other security agencies to enforce the judgment of the Supreme Court in the interest of the people.
The former members of the Association of Local Government Nigeria said Fubara failed to take the opportunity offered to him by the presidential intervention to end the crisis.
The Ijaw leaders, who said they remained the substantive chairmen of their local government areas, following their aborted tenure extension, said they heaved a sigh of relief that the Supreme Court had ended the crisis.
“Unfortunately, our attention was drawn to both subtle and frontal threats to the government, instigated by some individuals and organisations, who ostensibly are beneficiaries of the crises.
“It’s even worse that they use the Ijaw identity to fuel the embers of violence and intimidation against the Federal Government.
“In this category are organisations such as the Ijaw National Congress and some renegades of the Ijaw Youth Council.
“These organisations stated publicly that the Ijaws will resort to violence against critical national oil infrastructure if Governor Fubara is impeached.
“This implies that these pro-Ijaw ethnic organisations have not read the Supreme Court judgment they so condemn,” the LG chairmen said.
The statement was signed by Daniel O. Daniel, Abua/Odual; Dr Rowland C. Sekibo, Akuku Toru; Dr Erastus C. Awortu, Andoni; Onengiye George, Asari Toru; Michael John Williams, Degema; Chief Vincent Nemioboka, Ogu Bolo; Akuro Tobin, Okrika; Tamunotonye Douglas, Vice-Chairman, Port Harcourt City and Ubile Jack, Vice-Chairman, Ahoada West.
They said: “We condemn those empty threats and urge the Federal Government and Nigerians to disregard such comments which project the Ijaws in a bad light.
“Moreso, it is a fact that these threats attack the sensitivity of people from other ethnic groups in Rivers State who also voted for Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
“We have also seen videos and press statements of supposed stakeholders, including Prof Benjamin Okaba, Alhaji Mujaheed Asari Dokubo threatening the energy security of the Nigerian state if attempts at implementation of the judgment lead to the impeachment of the governor.”
The ex-LG chairmen queried: “Did the judgment call for Fubara’s impeachment? The simple answer is no. Where were these persons who claimed to be fighting the so-called Ijaw fight when the governor truncated the tenure and seized the allocation of the LGAs including those of us who are fellow Ijaws?
“Where were they when he stopped the salaries of the Assembly members and even made conscious attempts to use the courts to impeach them, including 10 Ijaw sons? They were all unconcerned because they were benefitting from the crisis and are not ready to stop benefitting from it.”
The ex-council bosses assured Nigerians that they would mobilise the support base to protect oil installations situated in their respective communities.
“We call on Governor Fubara to obey and ensure the full compliance with the decisions of the Supreme Court.
“As everybody is aware, impeachment is a profound constitutional prescription to penalise any erring governor or president in a presidential system of government.
“The Ijaws should at this point ensure that their beloved son does not carry out any act that will necessitate the deployment of this constitutionally approved procedure to check his excesses,” the statement read.
(Source: Punch except the headline)
