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…150 protesters arrested
…Fubara denies sacking council chairmen, PDP urges calm
Uneasy calm has pervaded Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, following plot to impeach the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, by some members of the State House of Assembly allegedly loyal to minister of thx Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. This is just as President Bola Tinubu has waded into the ongoing political impasse and security challenge in Rivers State.
The strained relationship between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, who currently serves as the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), deteriorated further due to recent attempts by a faction of the state House of Assembly to impeach the governor.
LEADERSHIP observed yesterday that most residents refused to go about their usual business activities, including civil servants who witnessed the scenario on Monday while at work. It was further observed that Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, where the State House of Assembly complex is located remained restricted to both human and vehicular movement.
Moscow Road is also hosts the State Police Command, the Court of Appeal complex, the Rivers State Magistrate Court complex, the zonal office of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and the zonal headquarters of the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS), as well as the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
It was further observed that operatives of several tactical units of the Nigeria Police Comnand, including the Intelligence Unit, the C41 and others were stationed in several parts of the state capital, especially around the Government House and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) axis of the state capital.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested no fewer than 150 youths, including the chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in the state, Chijioke Ihunwo, suspected to be Fubara’s supporters. LEADERSHIP gathered that the youths were at the main gate of the Government House protesting the alleged plot to impeach the governor when security operatives swopped on them.
A source told our correspondent that the youths were taken to the Old GRA Police Station they were eventually moved to the State Criminal and Investigations Department (SCID). Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has stepped into the political crisis in the state, with a view to quelling the escalating crisis.
Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, revealed this during a press briefing after the Police Council meeting held at the presidential villa. Mohammed said, “We had a closed session, you will recall, members of the press, where a very serious national issue was discussed that has security implication.
“That is the problem emerging in Rivers. Mr President, in his usual leadership position, intervened and it appears there will be peace in that respect.” Governor Mohammed who also chairs the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum (PDP-GF) also disclosed that opposition governors have made a collective decision to cooperate with the president.
According to him, this decision was prompted by the president’s demonstrated good faith in not interfering with gubernatorial cases brought before the courts by PDP members”.
PDP Governors Hail Tinubu’s Intervention
Governors of the PDP under the aegis of the PDP Governors Forum yesterday commended President Tinubu for wading into the political crisis rocking Rivers State. The governors stated this after rising from an emergency meeting in Abuja which deliberated on the matter and other issues.
Reading the communiqué after the meeting, chairman of the forum and Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, said, “The PDP Governors were alarmed at the recent developments in Rivers State and welcome the intervention of Mr President to bring the crises to an end.
“The meeting urged all parties to the Rivers State crises to sheath their sword and resort to peaceful means of resolution. The Forum further offers its platform for a quick and just containment of the issues involved.”
The governors also said the judgement of the Supreme Court on the 2023 Presidential Election has ended the presidential election cycle, as there must be an end to litigation. “As a Forum, we believe and re-state our faith and confidence in the judiciary to do justice in political and other cases before the Courts.”
“We are concerned that while the Supreme Court has laid down precedents on pre-election issues, PDP candidates in Plateau State are being disqualified on the same grounds. “We urge the judiciary at the apex level to ensure that our jurisprudence is not distorted. We remain vigilant in the struggle for democracy and good governance in the country.”
They also vowed to reposition and strengthen PDP as a viable opposition political party ready to play its role as the vanguard of the Nigerian people for democracy, good governance and accountability. On the national economy, the governors asked the federal government to stabilise the Naira, control inflation, stem the unemployment crises, and bring more succour to Nigerians.
Fubara Denies Sacking Local Government Chiefs
In a related development, the state government has debunked reports on social media suggesting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has sacked chairmen of the 23 local government areas of the state, as well as some of his aides. The state commissioner for Information and Communications, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday, advised the people of the state to jettison such reports.
The statement reads in part: “There had been unfounded reports making the rounds on various media platforms about His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, sacking certain categories of his aides and local council chairmen.
“This is to clarify that His Excellency has not given me such directive as the official spokesman of the state government as at today Tuesday, October 31, 2023. “Our dear governor is a technocrat, with robust civil service background, kind hearted and a very humane person who does things according to laid down rules and with the fear of God.
“We therefore ask Rivers people and the general public to jettison such unconfirmed reports as the public will be properly informed of who may have been removed by His Excellency at the appropriate time. “It is pertinent to note that as the Commissioner for Information and Communication, I shall keep the public updated on events in due course.”
PDP Urges Calm
Meanwhile, the national leadership of the PDP has urged all actors in the evolving political rift in Rivers State to sheathe their swords. The party also urged members to be calm, adding that it has deployed its internal conflict resolution mechanisms to ensure that all matters and areas of disagreement are addressed.
Reacting to the unfolding power tussle, the national publicity secretary of PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba, in a statement, charged all party leaders, critical stakeholders and members of Rivers State to close ranks, unite and focus on the onerous task of governance.
The party noted: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calls on all actors in the disagreement in Rivers State to sheathe their swords and allow for peaceful and amicable resolution of all the issues.
“The NWC urges all PDP members and supporters to be calm and assures that it has commenced processes, using the Party’s internal conflict resolution mechanisms to ensure that all matters and areas of disagreement are addressed.
“The NWC therefore charges all leaders, critical stakeholders and members of our great Party in Rivers State to close ranks, unite and focus on the onerous task of governance and delivery of dividends of democracy to the people.”
