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Why He Remains Close To Gov. FUBARA
When after 6-months into the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Rivers State political imbroglio surfaced, in which former Governor Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike and his political godson Siminialayi Fubara disagreed over issues not many people know much about, President Tinubu waded in to stabilize the state so as to boost economic ventures, especially those of Oil and Gas infrastructure which could be safeguarded for International Oil and Gas Companies-IOCs and other Foreign Direct Investors-FDI.
Based on the importance of Rivers State to Nigeria’s economic stability, the former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Dr. Peter Odili was contacted by the Presidency to broker peace between the former Governor who is now the Minister of Federal Capital Territory -FCT Abuja Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike and the incumbent Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara. The team of loyalists of Wike including 27 lawmakers and more than 14 Commissioners already serving in the Government of Sir Siminialayi Fubara and the supporters of Siminialayi Fubara majority of which comprises of Ijaw ethnic group indigenous people and few other political allies of the incumbent governor very nearly had a face-off.
For former Governor, Peter Odili his interest in the restoration of peace in Rivers State political atmosphere include the fact that his daughter Dr. (Mrs.) Adaeze Chidinma Oreh has remained a serving Commissioner for Health she is on Leave of Absence from the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja where she is an employee. Although recommended by Wike to serve as Commissioner, she is not a Politician and her inability to resign during the political crisis is informed by her employment status and non-political relationship in Wike’s political structure.
Again, her father, Dr. Peter Odili has a private Medical University known as Pamo University of Medical Sciences-PUMS situated at Iriebe, Port Harcourt. Each admission cycles Rivers State Government under Nyesom Wike arranged for a Grant of Five Hundred Million-naira N500m under an agreement with the institution for awarding scholarships to Rivers State indigenes to study at PUMS Port Harcourt. Therefore, any unstable political atmosphere in Rivers state will impact negatively in the maintenance of the agreement PUMS and Rivers State had entered into under Wike’s administration and currently retained by Governor Sir Siminialayi Fubara’s administration.
So, when on Monday 18th of December 2023 news broke that Dr. Peter Odili had been invited by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at Aso Rock Presidential Villa Abuja to find lasting solution to the conflict, many people were happy that at last peace will be restored in the state and business investors will continue to thrive as several multinational oil and gas companies operating in the state were watching the political situation in the state. The outcome of the Abuja 8-Points resolutions really came as a shock to supporters of Governor Siminialayi Fubara who wanted to have a new political structure devoid of the influence and control of the Minister of FCT Abuja Nyesom Wike and his 27 APC defected Lawmakers. According to the 8-Points Abuja Resolutions all the 27 APC defectors lawmakers retained their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly with Rt. Honourable Martins Chike Amaewhule as Speaker and that the financial accruals to Rivers State House of Assembly as an Arm of Government must be restored with immediate effect and salaries and emoluments to staff must be restored. The Impeachment Notice issued to Governor Siminialayi was to be withdrawn by the House of Assembly members and that all the Commissioners who resigned from the Government of Siminialayi Fubara should have their names submitted to the House of Assembly for consideration as members of the Executive Cabinet of Siminialayi administration. Again, the Local Government Administration was ruled not to be dissolved for a caretaker administration. Lastly the 2024 Budget presentation to the 4-Member Rivers State House of Assembly under parallel Speaker Barrister Edison Ehie should be represented to the larger Rivers State House of Assembly including the 27 APC defected Lawmakers. And that the Rivers State House of Assembly should choose where to continue to sit for legislative deliberations.
The supporters of Governor Siminialayi Fubara rejected the resolutions upon hearing about the outcome of the Abuja Presidential Declaration according to Chief David Briggs, a former Commissioner of Works under former Governor Peter Odili and an Ijaw son from Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers state who on Arise Television interview said that the outcome of the Abuja Resolution was termed Presidential Declaration by President Tinubu who addressed the team and asked the Rivers State Governor Siminialayi Fubara to know that he is the President of Nigeria and that he can take a drastic decision according to his Office as President of Nigeria. That there was no dialogue during the meeting only one of them present at the Meeting asked questions about the status of 27 APC defected lawmakers. The response from President Tinubu was that can a father reject the birth of new children in his family?
So, on Tuesday 19th of December 2023 the Rivers State High Court sitting at Isiokpo judicial Division in Ikwerre Local Government Area upon hearing the case instituted by Rivers State Governor Siminialayi Fubara had his counsel announcing to the Court that he had the consent of his client to discontinue with the case that stopped members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from impeaching him while Martins Amaewhule led House of Assembly Legal representation at the Court told the Court that his client did not instruct him on withdrawal of the case and the matter was adjourned to 31st of January 2024 for the parties to consolidate on their resolutions and come forward with it. Thus, arising from the sitting of Rivers State House of Assembly with Rt. Honourable Martins Amaewhule announcing the withdrawal of the impeachment Notice served to Governor Siminialayi Fubara. Again, at the Convocation ceremony of PUMS University Iriebe in Obio/Akpor LGA, Port Harcourt City, Governor Fubara admitted that he will continue to make further efforts in peace-making in Rivers State as there’s no price too big for for him to pay so as to maintain peace in Rivers State. On Wednesday 20th of December 2023 the Commissioner for Information and Communications Barrister Joseph Johnson announced that Governor Siminialayi Fubara signed the 8-Points Resolutions from Aso Rock Presidential Villa which has been enmeshed in controversy as to whether the signature of the Rivers State Governor was forged or his real signature which the Commissioner admitted was actually signed by Governor Fubara.
– Emeka Amaefula
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