President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has stepped in to resolve the heated political battle between immediate past Governor of Rivers state and now minister of the federal capital Territory Nyesom Wike and his Successor following high-level meeting at Aso Rock involving President Tinubu has directed the immediate halt of all impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara the sitting governor.
The Rivers State House of Assembly, under Speaker Martin Amaewhule, had initiated these proceedings. However, President Tinubu’s intervention has not only halted the impeachment but also called for the recognition of Speaker Amaewhule and the 26 assembly members who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
One significant directive from President Tinubu includes the immediate payment of salaries to the affected lawmakers. This directive aims to ease tensions arising from the political standoff between Governor Fubara and Minister Wike, which caused a rift within the state House of Assembly.
This development marks a pivotal moment in Rivers State’s political landscape, potentially signaling a shift in alliances and power dynamics within the state assembly. The disagreement between Fubara and Wike led to a factional divide, resulting in the defection of lawmakers and subsequent counter-moves to declare their seats vacant.
President Tinubu’s intervention seeks to restore stability and consensus within the assembly, emphasizing the importance of unity and cooperation for the state’s progress.
Below are the resolutions from the meeting presided by President Ahmed Tinubu:
1. ALL matters instituted in the courts by the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, and his team, in respect of the political crisis in Rivers State, shall be withdrawn IMMEDIATELY
2. ALL impeachment proceedings initiated against the Governor of Rivers State by the Rivers State House of Assembly should be dropped immediately
3. The leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly as led by the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule shall be recognized alongside the 27 members who resigned from the PDP
4. The remunerations and benefits of ALL members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and their staff must be reinstated immediately and the Governor of Rivers State shall henceforth not interfere with the full funding of the Rivers State House of
Assembly
5. The Rivers State House of Assembly shall choose where they want to sit and conduct their legislative business without interference and/or hindrance from the Executive arm of government
6. The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly
7. The names of ALL commissioners in the Rivers State Executive Council who resigned their appointments because of the political crisis in the state should be resubmitted to the House of Assembly for approval
8. There should NOT be a caretaker committee for the local governments in Rivers State. The dissolution of the Local Government administration is null and void and shall not be recognized.