Akani Alaka/Abuja
Outrage and criticisms have greeted the deal signed between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Monday evening to end the feud between them which has snowballed into a political crisis in Rivers State. The fact that Wike and Fubara who he installed as his successor had fallen out became public in October following an attempt by lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister to impeach the governor.
The crisis has snowballed into the defection of 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike led by Martin Amaewhule to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, the demolition of the Rivers State State House of Assembly, passage of the state’s 2024 budget by four members of the House of Assembly and declaration of the seats of the lawmakers loyal to Wike vacant among such absurdities.
However, to stop the descent of Rivers into crisis as the feud had in the past few days assumed an ethnic dimension, President Bola Tinubu on Monday called for a meeting of the two combatants, some of their supporters and other stakeholders at the presidential villa Abuja.
Apart from Wike and Fubara, others present at the meeting were Vice President Kashim Shettima, former governor of Rivers, Dr Peter Odili, Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The meeting ended after two hours with the release of an eight-point communique entitled “DIRECTIVES FOR THE RESOLUTION OF THE POLITICAL IMPASSE IN RIVERS STATE”, which was jointly signed by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara; the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike; Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof Ngozi Odu; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Amaewhule; PDP Chairman in Rivers State, Aaron Chukwuemeka and his APC counterpart, Rivers State, Tony Okocha as the outcome of the meeting.
The Controversial Peace Deal
As contained in the communiqué the impeachment proceedings initiated against Fubara by Rivers State by the Rivers State House of Assembly should be dropped immediately while the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly as led by the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule shall be recognised alongside the 27 members who resigned from the PDP.
Also, it was agreed that the remunerations and benefits of all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and their staff must be reinstated while the Governor of Rivers State shall henceforth not interfere with the full funding of the Assembly.
It was also agreed that 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.
The Rivers State governor is also to re-present the state 2024 budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly.
In the same vein, 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. It was also indicated that 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 recognised. While some are commending the President over the intervention in the crisis, the deal has come under criticism and attracted outrage from those who described it as heavily weighed against Fubara.
Some others also picked holes in the involvement of President Tinubu in matters involving a PDP governor as well as the signing of the document by the National Security Adviser. Some have also criticized Fubara for agreeing to the deal.
Knife At Fubara’s Back
A chieftain of PDP, Dele Momodu slammed Fubara for agreeing to the deal made with Wike while describing the President’s intervention in the crisis as legally absurd. “The directives to Rivers State by a Federal President is really absurd in legal terms. No President can be a Headmaster of both State and Federal.
“What manner of democracy are we practising that allows a President to intervene in the internal affairs of opposition parties and over-rule the Constitution unchallenged, and our politicians comply as if they are in a slave camp?
“Opposition parties must vehemently oppose this brazen attempt at forcing a one-party dictatorship on Nigeria,” Momodu said in a post on his social media platform.
Similarly, Shehu Sani, a former Kaduna Central Senator and civil rights activist said the peace deal was heavily weighed against Fubara and the troubles of the Governor may not be over.
He said the deal would only allow the combatants to buy time to prepare for another round of battle. “I have now read the Rivers agreement. The accord will remove the knife from the neck of Sim and set it behind his back. The accord will bury the hatchets with leaves. The accord outwardly sells peace, but internally buys time for another round of war.
However, It can be better if the dialogue is periodically assessed and improved upon.” A constitutional lawyer, Eugene Odey also said he did not see an end to the crisis despite the intervention of President Tinubu and other stakeholders in the state.
Unconstitutional
A Rivers-based Professor of Public Law, Richard Wokocha also noted that the deal leaves Edison Ehie, the factional Speaker loyal to Fubara unprotected.
He also faulted the directive for representation of the budget. “When you talked about representing the budget that has been presented, passed and is already being implemented, it raises many legal questions. Are you representing the budget to persons who in law no longer exist in that House? I think all these raise serious legal questions.”
He also noted that while the agreement restored the seats of the 27 lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule loyal to Wike, who defected to APC, it doesn’t stop the PDP from pursuing legal actions to reclaim their seats from the lawmakers.
Also, a human rights lawyer, Courage Nsirimovu described the agreement as unlawful and unconstitutional. According to him, the agreement amounts to handing over the governance of the state to Wike without regard to the aspirations of the Rivers people.
Deal Unacceptable -Edwin Clark
Elders statesman, Chief Edwin Clark also described the agreement as appalling and baffling.
Clark described the points of resolution as “unacceptable” to the people, especially, the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
Clark said the terms of settlement, were an obvious fact that President Tinubu wanted to show gratitude to Wike for “delivering” Rivers State to him during the past Presidential elections.
The elder statesman noted the composition of the attendees of the meeting was one-sided in favour of Wike.
He also faulted the presence of Martins Amaewhule who he said had automatically lost his seat the very moment he decamped to another political party.
He said it would have been normal for Edison Ehie, to be in the meeting if the President and Wike had sincerity of purpose to resolve the unfortunate political impasse.
Clark added that the eight-point resolution reached at the meeting was the most unconstitutional, absurd and obnoxious resolution at settling feuding parties that he had ever witnessed in his life.