Rivers state governor Siminalayi Fubara, called the bluff of, protesting youths, sycophants and those desperate to use the political crisis in the state to chase clout, prosecute proxy wars – he declared again his commitment to implementing the eight-point presidential peace agreement on the political crisis in the state.
The Daily Crucible reports that a plethora of concerned groups in Rivers State had on Friday surged into Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital in what they called a solidarity rally for Governor Siminalayi Fubara over the political crisis in the state while prodding him to reject the peace deal.
They condemned and rejected the presidential resolution on the face-off between Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, his godfather.
The placards-carrying groups poured into the Government House along Azikiwe Street, Port Harcourt, as early as 7 am, mounted a stage and canopies at the entrance to it, hollering solidarity songs and dancing.
Some of the groups that bunched up at the way to the Rivers seat of power were the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Greater Wakirike Movement, ljaw Young Professionals Association, Past NURSS Leaders Forum, and the Andoni Youth Federation.National Union of Rivers State Students, Worldwide; National Association of Nigeria Students, South-South Zone B; the ljaw Youth Council, Eastern, Zone and Rivers Youth Federation.
The peace accord they were against was brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu between Governor Fubara and his godfather, Nyesom Wike, who is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
However, in what seemed to be allowing superior reasoning and wisdom to prevail, Fubara ignored them and restated his commitment to the Peace Pact during a Christmas Broadcast on Monday, the Christmas Day.
He said that the agreement would be implemented in a way that would not compromise the collective interest of the people and democratic values.
The governor said: “As a principal participant in the entire saga, I have taken some time to study the terms therein and have come to the conclusion that the Peace Pact is not as bad as it is being portrayed by those genuinely opposed to it. It is certainly, not a death sentence. It offers some way towards a lasting peace and stability in our dear State.
”Accordingly, I reaffirm my acceptance of the Presidential Peace Proclamation and my commitment to implementing both the spirit and letters of the declaration in such a way and manner that will restore political stability to our dear State without compromising the collective interest of our people and our cherished and shared democratic values.
“Let me also use this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to our dear President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu GCFR for wading into the near crisis that almost punctuated the prevailing peace in our dear State.
“Indeed, by this singular effort, our dear President has demonstrated that he loves Rivers State and cherishes nothing short of a reign of perfect peace in our State with his Presidential Peace Proclamation on the 18th of December 2023.
“Mr. President’s Peace Proclamation has naturally elicited mixed reactions from our people and across the country.”
He reiterated further that already, both parties have demonstrated some good faith in the implementation process with the withdrawal of the purported impeachment notice on their part, and the release of hitherto withheld allowances of the members of the State House of Assembly by the government.
”I have said before, there is no price too much to pay for peace. And with the realization that the worst peace is better than the best war, we will strive to make peace with all segments and interest groups without surrendering our freedom nor jeopardizing the interest and well-being of the good people of Rivers State who graciously entrusted us with their cherished mandate.”
Earlier, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, broke his silence concerning the Abuja peace deal to resolve the political crisis that was rocking Rivers.
Wike spoke about the peace deal yesterday in Port Harcourt while addressing a church congregation during a thanksgiving for George Kelly Alabo, one of his loyalists that recently resigned as commissioner for works.
He said: “We must thank Mr.President for interfering and intervening. I was not the one one who invited Mr. President. You people were the one asking the president to intervene.
“Now he has intervened and you are now saying he has no constitutional power. President has intervened to bring peace. No matter what circumstances, the President invites me to a meeting and tells me to do something within 24 hours I will carry it out.
“This because not only as president, I have subjected myself to the peace process. Why is everybody shouting? Some of you didn’t even know that Mr. President had invited us privately and said do this. You agreed before Mr. President but you didn’t do it. Then Mr. President asked the larger state to come. We must tell ourselves this simple truth.:
“In 2014 and 2015 when I wanted to be governor, two people invited me to their house and said that the elders of the state wanted to see me. I went thinking they were the elders of the state.
“On getting there I saw only two men. I said two of you are the elders of the state? They told me the elders had decided I should not run an election. I told them you must be joking. I left. The same people again have constituted themselves as elders of the state.
“Check everybody there, some of them their sons lost elections even lost at the court of appeal. Now they have come to be elders of the the state. Everybody wants to take their pound of flesh. Wike stopped me from not going here. Wike made me not to be this. Even those that Wike made had also joined them. That is the irony of the world”
The former Rivers Governor further faulted efforts to tribalise the crisis saying that most people had forgotten that he was the architect of the entire process that produced the governor.
He said: “Let me use this opportunity to tell the church that blackmail is the easiest thing. Some of you may be reading what is going on. Sit down properly and ask yourself can this be true? Power and money if you are not careful it can destroy you. It can also make you depending on how you handle it.
“I have never one day done anything that will bring this state backward. It was during my time I fought many states to win back our oil wells. The money that comes from those oil wells is not in my pocket but for the interest of the state. To show character when I was here I never went to see the federal government. I was the only opposition to the federal government. I challenged them.
“I hear many people say we are from so place. But nobody remembered who was the architect. Now you are telling us where you are from.
“All of us irrespective of where you come from know that the state belongs to all of us. There is nothing like Ijaw and there is nothing like Ikwerre. All I know is Rivers state.
“If you want to settle us, find out the facts, don’t just shout asawana. When we were choosing who will go we never shouted asawana, all we said was come you will go and represent us. That is how it was supposed to be.
“Part of governance is managing people. If you cannot manage people, you don’t have business being in government. It is not only road contract, management of people. If you can’t manage people you don’t have business to be there. I have had my own crisis, I managed it and survived it. If you have yours pray, if you can’t pray meet pastors and they will intercede for you.
: “Being a pastor there are rules. Being a traditional ruler there are rules. If you have chosen to a politician there are also rules. You must obey I was a governor I obeyed. It didn’t stop me from performing my functions.
“I do governance and at the same time I would go back and obey those rules. That is why you can see me with leaders. Don’t pull the ladder you used to climb if not when you are coming back, I don’t know how you will come down.
“I urge the church to continue praying for us to be firm. I have done my path. I am happy and I am doing well in Abuja today. Leave propaganda and blackmail. There is nothing I am looking for in this state now.
“I have my own budget as FCT Minister. I have my own commissioners. By January I will present my budget before the National Assembly. I preside over the expenditure. All I am saying if you are a politician, play according to the rules. People laboured. People suffered.
“When Boma Iyaye was appointed executive director of finance and administration in NDDC, the first thing he did was to thank God and then brought his chiefs to my house to thank me.
“Through Boma something would come, through me something came to Boma. Nobody talks about where Boma comes from. I am Ikwerre man. But When politicians are fighting if you don’t know the root cause of the matter dont kill yourself.
“I was just laughing, those of you carrying flags shouting what I don’t know assuming another group confronts you and another thing happens what will you tell your parents; something you don’t even know the root cause.
“I plead with the church to continue to pray for peace not just in Rivers but the entire country. If the president does not succeed all of us will suffer it. I do believe that he will succeed.”
