Politics

Fubara says he is ready to quit office… ‘If it’ll bring peace to Rivers’

Published

2 months ago

March 7, 2024

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Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, says no sacrifice is too big for him to make to bring peace to the state.

Fubara spoke on Thursday in an interview with AIT.

The governor said he is willing to leave office if it will bring peace to he south-south state.

“No sacrifice will be too big for me to pay for the success of this administration and the reason is very simple,” Fubara said.

“It is not political love. It is not because I want to gain any favour from anybody. My interest and love for our dear state is genuine.

“I am not trying to say I want to be one man that would be there to decide the fate of all, no. But let Rivers state remain.

“If leaving this position is what I need or what is needed to bring more peace to the state, I can even tell you people to come and take it.

READ Rivers made right choice by voting Tinubu - El-Rufai

“It’s not about me. People should understand that definitely I will go but Rivers state will remain.”

THE POLITICAL CRISIS

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT) and immediate past governor of Rivers, and Fubara, his successor, have been embroiled in a struggle for the control of Rivers’ political structure.

The feud between both men sparked a political crisis in the state leading to the demolition of the Rivers house of assembly complex.

The political crisis also resulted in the resignation of some of Fubara’s cabinet members.

In the wake of the crisis, Wike’s associates in the Rivers house of assembly commenced impeachment proceedings against the governor.

Fubara’s allies kicked against the impeachment moves.

Thereafter, 27 lawmakers in the state house of assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

On December 18, the governor and Wike agreed to end the political feud between them after President Bola Tinubu intervened.

READ Good Morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: Rivers assembly threatens to resume impeachment proceedings against Fubara

Some of the resolutions reached at the meeting were that: “All matters instituted in courts by the different factions should be immediately withdrawn, the 27 lawmakers who defected to the APC should be taken back as members of the assembly, and the impeachment proceedings against Fubara should be withdrawn”.

The 27 lawmakers who signed the impeachment proceedings also rescinded the notice against the governor.

The governor has also sworn in the commissioners who resigned from his government.

The Rivers assembly is controlled by lawmakers loyal to Wike.

Fubara said he refrained from taking certain decisions during the crisis for the sake of peace.

“My burden at that time wasn’t the issue of all the drama,” he said.

“The millions of Rivers people who have made sacrifice, who has seen opportunity and they look as if there hope are being dashed.

“Those are the things I was worried about. What would be their fate? That was my trouble, it was not about me.

READ Alleged defilement: Rivers govt to prosecute Pastor Duruebube after audio of conversation surfaces

“I am the governor, no matter what it is, there are things I could have done and there would have been a total crisis.

“But your ability to restrain in the face of crisis even when you have the power to do things is maturity.”

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Politics

Peter Obi meets Atiku, Lamido, Saraki in Abuja

Published

2 days ago

May 14, 2024

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The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election Peter Obi has met with ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and former Governor of Jigawa State Sule Lamido in separate visits.

Atiku posted photos of him and Obi during their Monday meeting on his X handle.

“It was my honour and privilege to host @PeterObi today,” Atiku wrote.

In a statement following the meetings, the LP presidential campaign spokesman Tanko Yunusa said Obi visited them to discuss the “state of the nation”.

“Worried about the state of the nation and the increasing uncertainty in the living conditions of the poor and underprivileged, Obi in Abuja on Monday visited some top Nigerians, among whom are former vice president, and PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, the former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki and the former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido,” the statement read.

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“At the centre of discussion during each of these visits was the state of the nation and how to reduce the suffering of all Nigerians irrespective of class and location. In particular, the desperate condition of the downtrodden in our midst was highlighted.

“Of particular interest and emphasis in these discussions was the worrisome situation in the northern parts of the country.”

Obi was Atiku’s running mate in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 presidential election.

But Obi, a former Anambra governor, left the PDP ahead of the 2023 poll and teamed up with the Labour Party (LP).

Atiku flew the PDP’s flag in the poll, losing out to President Bola Tinubu.

Politics

Fubara to probe Wike’s administration

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2024

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Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, says a judicial panel of inquiry will be set up to investigate the management of the state’s resources and affairs under past administrations.

Fubara spoke on Monday while swearing in Dagogo Iboroma, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as the Rivers’ attorney-general and commissioner for justice, at the government house in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

“Let me also say this: you have a big task. We will be setting up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the affairs of governance. So, brace up; I am not going back on it,” the governor said.

Earlier on Monday, the Rivers house of assembly led by Victor Jumbo, the factional speaker, screened and cleared Iboroma as a commissioner nominee.

Iboroma’s appointment follows the resignation of Zacchaeus Adangor in April.

“Please defend us. We know that you are going to defend us because your record is clean. You are a gentleman who is peaceful. You are not a noise-maker. People like you are endowed, and they have the fear of God,” Fubara told Iboroma.

READ Over 200 communities displaced, six feared dead as flood ravages Rivers, Delta

Fubara succeeded Nyesom Wike, who is the current minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), as governor in May 2023.

He was the accountant-general under Wike.

In May 2022, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Fubara and 58 others wanted over an alleged N435 billion fraud.

‘THIS IS A NEW ERA’

Fubara said the swearing-in of Iboroma marked the beginning of a new era for his government, which he noted has moved on from the political crisis in the state.

“I am happy that this is happening today to mark the beginning of a new era in our administration. When I said that I had a reason for being patient, it is because I know that we are all from one family and if we have a disagreement, no matter how bad it is, it should be resolved amicably,” Fubara said.

“But it has become very clear that this disagreement, there is no way to resolve it amicably. And for a lot of reasons, there is visible evidence that there is sabotage and deliberate attempt to sabotage this administration.

READ Rivers made right choice by voting Tinubu - El-Rufai

“For that reason, we have to move forward. And moving forward, if it means taking decisions that are going to hurt anybody. We are not going back on the protection of the interest of Rivers people.”

THE CRISIS

The Rivers house of assembly has been polarised since 2023 following the rift between Fubara and Wike.

In December, 27 members of the assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Rivers assembly has 32 seats. One lawmaker, Dinebari Loolo, died in September 2023.

In October 2023, Ehie Edison was elected speaker of the factional assembly, after his removal as house leader by members led by Martin Amaewhule — amid the plot to impeach Fubara.

Edison later resigned as a lawmaker to become chief of staff to Fubara.

The lawmakers in the Amaewhule-led faction are loyal to Wike.

The political crisis took a fresh twist last Wednesday after Jumbo, a lawmaker representing the Bonny state constituency, was elected factional speaker.

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Last Friday, a state high court in Port Harcourt granted an interim injunction restraining Amaewhule from acting as a speaker of the Rivers assembly.

Charles Wali, the presiding judge, also restrained 25 other assembly members from parading themselves as legislators.

The motion ex parte was filed by Jumbo and two assembly members — Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy — loyal to Fubara.

Politics

Obtaining injunction at 2am can’t sack lawmakers | Backing you was a mistake, Wike tells Fubara

Published

4 days ago

May 12, 2024

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Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says no one has the power to sack elected members of the Rivers house of assembly.

Wike and Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, have been locked in a battle for the political structure of Rivers since 2023.

The rift between both men has led to a polarisation of the Rivers house of assembly — with each camp electing a speaker loyal to either man.

In December, 25 Rivers lawmakers loyal to Wike defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Their seats were subsequently declared vacant by Edison Ehie, who was then speaker of the camp loyal to Fubara.

THE INJUNCTION

On May 6, Fubara told state legislators loyal to Wike that they owe their existence to him.

“Those group of men who claim they are our assembly members are not assembly members — they are not existing,” Fubara said.

READ FG to toll roads to repay infrastructure debts – Emefiele

On May 10, a Rivers high court granted an interim injunction restraining Martin Amaewhule, a lawmaker loyal to Wike, from parading himself as speaker of the state assembly.

Charles Wali, the presiding judge, also restrained 25 other assembly members from parading themselves as legislators.

The motion ex parte was filed by Victor Jumbo, the factional speaker and two assembly members — Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy. All three legislators are loyal to Fubara.

‘MY JOB IS TO MAKE THEM ANGRY’

Speaking on Saturday in Ogu-Bolo LGA of Rivers at an event to honour George Sekibo, a former senator who has spent 36 years in public service, Wike aimed more thinly veiled barbs Fubara’s way.

The former governor’s remarks also came after Fubara gazetted an executive order moving the sitting of the state house of assembly to the government house.

Addressing Anorld Davids, lawmaker representing Ogu-Bolo constituency in the assembly, Wike said: “Let me say this clearly, Arnold, don’t be frightened that anybody would remove you as an assembly member.”

READ Killed overN17,500: Police arrest Rivers hotel manager for torturing staff to death

“Nobody will remove you as an assembly member.

“Most of you don’t understand. This is our work. What l am doing is to make them fear, to make them angry.

“I have no other job than to make them angry everyday, to make them make mistakes everyday. And they will be in trouble everyday. So, don’t worry about yourselves.

“If they like, they can go to anybody by 2am, 4am to get an injunction. The law will take its course. We are not afraid. We followed due process. We must follow due process.

“We are not going to harm anybody. We are not going to give money to anybody to buy arms and kill anybody. We won’t do that.”

‘HANDPICKING YOU WAS A MISTAKE’

Again, Wike apologised for backing Fubara to succeed him as governor.

“I have made a mistake. I own up. And I ask God to forgive me. I have said all of you forgive me. But, we will correct it at the appropriate time,” he said.

READ JUST IN: Court orders FG to pay Rivers, Akwa Ibom $3.37billion

“I am a human being. I am bound to make a mistake. My judgment can be wrong. So, forgive me for making a wrong judgment. That is life.”