Rivers State elders have criticized President Bola Tinubu’s eight-point peace proposal aimed at settling the state’s political issue, calling it “one-sided” and illegal.
Former governors, traditional rulers, professors, and technocrats comprised the elders who rejected the directions made during a reconciliation meeting between the President, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, and Rivers State Governor Similanayi Fubara.
The group accused the President of attempting to “unilaterally suspend the constitution” through his directives in a communiqué signed by former governor Rufus Ada-George, Chief Anabs Sara Igbe, former PANDEF spokesman Sir GTG Toby, former deputy governor of Rivers State, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Senator Ben Birabi, and others.
They said Tinubu’s decision to reinstate and compensate MPs who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) constituted a flagrant disrespect for a court judgement recognising Edison Ehie as the Speaker.
The President’s directives are a clear attempt to undermine the judiciary and the rule of law,” the communique stated. “Can Mr. President or the executive arm of government overrule the decision of courts of competent jurisdiction? This is executive rascality that threatens our democracy.”
The elders also criticized the guidelines for being “one-sided” and favoring Wike over Fubara and the people of Rivers State. They pointed out that the defectors, led by Martins Amaewhule, had ceased to be House of Assembly members and could not be returned through the back door.
“The President’s hypocrisy is glaring,” the communique charged. “He expects the Rivers State government to provide accommodation for legislators, while his own FCT Minister does the same for the National Assembly. Why the double standard?”
The elders also saw the mandate to re-present the previously enacted and signed budget as an affront to the governor and the judiciary. They also slammed the order to re-absorb voluntarily resigned former officials as “preposterous.”
“In this moment of truth, we call on all responsible citizens of Rivers State to rise up and defend the soul of our state,” the communiqué concluded. “We must not allow our democracy to be trampled upon by those who seek to rule through the backdoor.”
On Monday, President Bola Tinubu arranged a peace pact at the Aso Rock Villa between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
Wike and Fubara both attended the Aso Villa meeting on Monday. Both sides agreed to abandon all legal lawsuits, among other concessions, in the presence of President Tinubu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
