President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has waded into the political crisis in Rivers state, Chairman Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum and Bauchi state Governor Bala Mohammed has said.
The governor said this while addressing State House correspondents at the end of the Police Council meeting in Abuja.
Political crisis erupted in the state following reported attempts by the lawmakers to commence impeachment process against the governor, Siminalaye Fubara.
The allegation which came in the wake of the crisis in the state House of Assembly Monday, led to a faction of the 32-man Assembly presided by the embattled Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, signing a notice of impeachment on Governor Fubara.
The lawmakers, who initiated the impeachment proceedings, were believed to be loyal to former governor of the state and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Tinubu’s intervention
Commending President Tinubu’s handling of the fracas, Governor Bala said the decision was timely and would bring succour to the people of Rivers state.
“We discussed a very serious national issue that has security implications and that is the problem emerging in Rivers state. The president in his usual leadership position intervened and that shows there will be peace in that state,” he said.
The governor said the president has so far exhibited the attributes of a father of all Nigerians.
“The President has shown that he is a President for everybody; the President for PDP and President for APC by intervening today and bringing succour and solace to the people of Rivers and Nigeria,” he said.
Bala said as governors elected on the PDP platform, “we are satisfied with the leadership qualities displayed by President Tinubu,” adding that they will continue to support the president in the discharge of his duties.
He said governors were happy that there was no interference in the litigations that concerned all PDP governors.
“I spoke on behalf of the PDP Governors and we extolled the leadership qualities of the President, we congratulated him for his success at the court and we also showed our appreciation that all the PDP Governors who went through the tribunal emerged victorious. We know that is leadership. There is professionalism in the conducts as well as the way and manner the judiciary is working under his leadership.
“He made sure he didn’t use his big hammer and biro to extricate or emasculate us as the opposition. We find this to be very good and going forward, we pledge that we are going to work with him to bring good governance to the people of Nigeria,” he said.
PDP govs
Also at a meeting Monday, the PDP governors thumbed-up Tinubu for his timely intervention in the current political crisis in Rivers state.
The forum, which met at the Oyo State Governor’s lodge in Abuja, had virtually all the governors in attendance.
Briefing journalists on the outcome of the emergency meeting, the PDP-GF chair, Governor Mohammed, stated that there must be an end to every litigation.
“While we reiterate our confidence in the Nigeria judiciary, we also believe that there must be an end to every litigation.
“While we are of the views that our jurisprudence must be strengthened for democracy to thrive, we will continue to offer viable opposition.
“We particularly salute President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the Rivers political feud as it would also help in bringing an end to the crisis,” Mohammed held.
While also hailing the President for his patriotic intervention over the state of the country’s economy, they charged him to further to work towards a strong naira, control the inflation and employments for the teeming youth.
RVSG denies CJ, LG chairs sack
In a related development, the Rivers state government has denied media reports on some social media platforms on the sack of the state Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, and Chief of Staff Government House Port Harcourt Chidi Amadi among others.
In the ensuing melee, some media outlets reported that the CJ , CoS and the 23 local government chairmen were sacked by the governor.
Debunking the allegations in a statement Tuesday, Commissioner for Information and Communications Joe Johnson said: “This is to clarify that His Excellency has not given me such directive (to announce their sack) as the official spokesman of the State government as of today Tuesday, October 31, 2023”, Johnson noted in a statement he signed in Port Harcourt.
“Our dear governor is a technocrat, with a robust civil service background, kind-hearted and a very humane person who does things according to laid down rules and with the fear of God.
“We therefore ask Rivers people and the general public to jettison such unconfirmed reports as the public will be properly informed of who may have been removed by His Excellency at the appropriate time.
“It is pertinent to note that as the Commissioner for Information and Communication, I shall keep the public updated on events in due course.”
Lagos lawmakers wants Assembly reopened
Meanwhile, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly Tuesday condemned the burning of the Rivers State legislative chamber by yet-to-be identified persons.
The members also condemned the alleged interference of the executive arm of government in the affairs of the state legislature, saying the constitution guarantees the independence of the legislature.
The lawmakers, through the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who called in from an official trip outside the country, urged President Tinubu to call on the IGP, Mr Egbetokun, to reopen the parliament and protect the lawmakers while they perform their duties.
Obasa said the parliament must not be made a victim of political crisis among gladiators as witnessed in Edo, where the roof of the chamber was removed by the governor, and other states where such had happened in the past.
“The constitution must be adhered to at all times. Since the crisis started in the office of the governor, then there is no reason to lock up the Assembly. Even if the lawmakers have issues, they should be allowed to resolve such among themselves without interference from the executive arm.
“The removal of the sitting Speaker behind the door should not be tolerated because it is against the constitution. While we understand that impeachments are democratic, the constitutional procedures must be followed whether for a Speaker or a governor.
“Where did the lawmakers have the sitting where the Speaker was removed and at what time did the sitting hold? How many members voted against the sitting Speaker? The Rivers governor, in saving his neck, must not sacrifice the House of Assembly or turn the legislators against themselves.
“Again, it should be of note that a governor has no power to remove the Chief Judge of a state without the two-third support from lawmakers. Just as the office of the governor or Chief Judge cannot be sealed up, a House of Assembly should not be sealed up,” the lawmakers said.
Obasa called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to urgently intervene to protect the Rivers Assembly and its members.
At plenary o Tuesday, members of the House also called on Governor Fubara to adhere to the constitution by not meddling in the affairs of the House just as they further urged the Senate and the House of Representatives to rise up to the crisis.
The House urged the chairman of the Conference of Speakers, Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, to collaborate with his colleagues to condemn the act and fast-track the process of ensuring autonomy for state legislatures.
Raising the issue under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’, Hon. Desmond Elliot, representative of Surulere 1, said the attack on the chamber was an attack on the sanctity of the parliament, which is very important to democracy.
“How was a new Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly elected? If due process was not followed, we have to condemn it.
“The crisis in Rivers did not emanate from the House of Assembly, so why should it be burnt or closed down?” he asked.
Speaking on the issue, Deputy Majority Leader Richard Kasunmu said reports had it that the governor stormed the House just as he wondered how the new Speaker emerged from a faction of just eight members.
While noting that the Lagos State House of Assembly has always led by example, he expressed worry over the safety of the mace, which he described as the symbol of authority.
Condemning the act, Hon. Adewale Temitope (Ifako-Ijaiye 1), said it was disturbing how eight members could elect a Speaker.
“It is becoming a norm for the executive to interfere in the affairs of the legislature. And where this continues, you are calling for anarchy. I call on my colleagues to come together and solve whatever issues they have among themselves so that they can continue to serve the people,” he said.
Deputy Speaker Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, who presided at the sitting, described the situation in Rivers as sad and heartbreaking.
“Our security agents should also ask questions because the Rivers Assembly is on the same street as the police command in the state. The parliament is the life of democratic government,” she noted.
