By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Governor of Rivers State, South-South Nigeria, Siminalayi Fubara, says he is committed to implementing the eight-point presidential peace agreement on the political crisis in the state.
The assurance comes despite criticism by his supporters who claim that implementing the peace deal between him and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, will amount to ceding his executive power to Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital.
The peace deal was brokered by President Bola Tinubu to douse the tension brewed by the frosty relationship between Wike and his erstwhile political godson who he anointed as successor in the oil-rich state.
Supporters of the governor had held series of rally in Port Harcourt, the state capital last week, calling for the terms of the peace deal to be discarded as it amounts to feathering the nest of godfatherism which they accuse Wike of posing.
Governor Fubara in a Christmas Broadcast on Monday assured that agreement will be implemented in a way that will not compromise the collective interest of the people and democratic values.
He said as a principal participant in the saga, he has taken some time to study the terms of the proclamation and “has come to the conclusion that the peace pact is not as bad as it might be portrayed by those genuinely opposed to it”.
He said the peace accord “is not a death sentece”, but an opportunity to achieve the needed stability in the state.
Governor Fubara said both sides of the divide have so far demonstrated some goodwill towards the implementation of the agreement.
In the peace deal signed by the governor and his predecessor Wike, President Tinubu ordered that all litigations instituted in the courts by Fubara and his camp regarding the political crisis in the state be withdrawn immediately.
It read: “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by the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, and his team, in respect of the political crisis in Rivers State, shall be withdrawn immediately.
“All impeachment proceedings initiated against the Governor of Rivers State by the Rivers State House of Assembly should be dropped immediately.
“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.
“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.
“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 Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly.
“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.
“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.”
Gov. Fubara said while the Martin Amaewhule led Assembly has “withdrawn the purported impeached notice”, his government has also released the withheld allowance of the State House of Assembly.
The Rivers State Governor thanked President Bola Tinubu for intervening in the political crisis, saying that the effort demonstrates his love for Rivers State.
Governor Fubara also appreciated the people for their love and support for his administration, especially during the period of the crisis.
He promised never to lower the bar of governance in the state and to always consult widely to serve the state better.
