The Rivers Elders Elders and Leaders Forum has told the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara that he has no constitutional rights to implement the peace agreement of President Bola Tinubu.
The forum reacting to the governor’s recent comments to implement the peace pact on the political saga in the state, spoke on Wednesday, during a briefing with journalists in Port Harcourt.
Speaking on behalf of other members of the forum, the former governor of Rivers, Rufus Ada-George, advised governor Fubara not to place too much premium on the assurances on the agreement, but be guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as he swore to uphold
He said “The Forum believes that there could be peace in Port Harcourt and indeed the entire Rivers if only your Excellency would be circumspect in your actions, measured in your engagements, and have a critical mind in your review of events. Therefore Mr. Governor, you have no constitutional or any other legal power to implement the Presidential Peace Proclamation.”
The Rivers statement lauded the governor for maintaining peace and added that the environment in which the peace was brokered showed no sensitivity to the people’s security, political and social interest.
They said “you are a principal participant in the entire saga and the Presidential Peace Proclamation is not as bad as being portrayed by those genuinely opposed to it”, noting that the peace proclamation has elicited mixed reactions from Rivers people and across the country.
In an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, the statesmen stated that the composition and attendance at the peace meeting, showed lack of balance between the two warring factions.
The letter stressed that “the faction recognised by a court of competent jurisdiction, the Elders of Rivers State, traditional rulers, women and youth leadership, were not
represented at the meeting”.
The elders said “giving a directive for the reinstatement of commissioners who willfully resigned, and the 27 former legislators who in all clear conscience and by legal implication jumped boat and got themselves dismissed from the affairs of the Assembly, should be reinstated and remunerated, smacks of a sense of political irresponsibility, lack of sensitivity to the laws of the land and due process”.
The group expressed that the President does not have the powers to overrule the ruling of a Court of Competent Jurisdiction when he is a of the court.
