•Tinubu and Fubara
Governor Siminalayi Fubara must comply fully and immediately with the judgment of the Supreme Court to keep the peace in Rivers State, the president declared yesterday.
According to him, the nation is governed by the rule of law without which there will be no order or governance.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu spoke during a meeting with the delegation of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) at Aso Villa, reports The Nation.
Speaking specifically on the request by the group for intervention in the political logjam, the president put the issue directly on the lap of Fubara.
He said: “Please go back home and help him implement those recommendations within the shortest possible time. I put the ball back in your court. Help him because, privately and openly, I intervened and counselled the governor.
“Only yesterday (Monday), I told him again to pursue the path of peace and stoop to conquer.
“This is a nation governed by the rule of law. I should not be here as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria if there was no rule of law. I have total confidence in our judiciary.
“Human beings can make errors, but when the Supreme Court has spoken, that’s it.”
Before the apex court judgment, President Tinubu intervened and got the parties in the crisis to reach an agreement. But it was observed in the breach.
Fubara and his supporters claimed that the agreement was skewed against them.
Since the March 7 apex court judgment, apart from asking council chairmen whose election was declared invalid to vacate office, Fubara has repeatedly promised to comply.
The president further said: “We reached an agreement, a written agreement, and both parties signed. Some leaders thought the governor was wrong to have signed it and didn’t implement it. Where did we find ourselves today?
“I’ve given the situation enough time, enough thinking, enough consideration. We cannot falter, we will not.
“The people of Rivers State must not suffer for the democracy that we all pulled together. They will not, they must be protected. I assure you, we’ll do better.”
Yesterday in Port Harcourt, the governor again promised to implement the judgment.
The House of Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule remained active as it had been since the judgment.
It met with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) top officials.
The PANDEF big delegation was led by the body’s joint Board of Trustees (BoT) co-chairmen Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, and former Akwa Ibom State Governor Obong Victor Attah.
Also in the delegation was PANDEF chairman Ambassador Godknows Igali.
The president assured the PANDEF leaders of the completion of ongoing projects of his Administration in the Southsouth region.
He said: “Send somebody to go look at what’s going on with the coastal road (Lagos/Calabar). That’s a huge economy and the opportunities associated with it.
“Yes, we’re working with internationally reputable companies to make Uyo Port, Calabar Port, and other Southsouth ports a reality.
“We’re resetting the economy, and it’s tilted far better now. There’s funding for our children in universities, our medical colleges are well-equipped.
“Yes, there’s an infrastructure deficit in some areas, but we will fix it. We’re setting our priorities right.
“With our youthful population, we can achieve the greatest things in Africa. Let us not look at the past wastes, let us learn lessons from it and move forward with this country.
“Whatever remains in these memos that you’ve submitted, I will take a look at them. We’ll meet more regularly.
“Go back home and take charge of peace, and if you need me, let me know.”
The president urged the leaders to support young leaders making strides in community development, citing the work of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of NDDC.
“Ogbuku, the MD of NDDC, is doing a very good job. Encourage him to achieve more,” President Tinubu said.
King Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff thanked the President for his commitment to Southsouth well-being and appointments given to Niger Delta indigenes.
“Your government has taken the bull by the horns, and we are sure you will succeed. We are here to give you our assurance and support. God bless Nigeria and your government,” he said.
Obong Attah called for further intervention in the Rivers crisis.
Attah, who also chairs the reconciliation committee set up by PANDEF in Rivers, said the political crisis threatens national stability and deserves more attention.
“Instability there has far-reaching consequences on the peace and stability of the nation,” he added.
He praised the president’s reforms, including power devolution and regional development recognition, and urged focus on infrastructure, seaports, environmental sustainability, and fiscal federalism.
On the delegation were politicians, top government officials, traditional rulers, and senior figures from the zone.
These include many known supporters of Fubara. Among them are: Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) chairman Uche Secondus, former Rivers State Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru; and Prof. Mike Ozakhome (SAN).
Others are: former Cross River State governor, Mr Liyel Imoke; Senator Seriake Dickson; former NDDC Managing Director Timi Alaibe; Jaja of Opobo, Prof. Dandeson Jaja; Senator Ita Enang; Senator Bassey Henshaw; Mrs Ibim Semenitari; Senator Andrew Uchendu; National Coordinator of Host Communities of Nigeria, HOSTCOM, Okareme Maikpobi; Niger Delta activist, Ms Ann-Kio Briggs; spokesman of PANDEF, Chief Obiwevbi Ominimini.
Also in attendance were the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN) and Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.
We will implement judgment, says Fubara
Fubara said his administration would implement the Supreme Court judgment to the fullest, adding that the peace and collective interest of the state were bigger than individual interest.
He also lamented the huge cost of the conflicts to the Executive and Legislative arms, saying they are enormous.
The governor, who spoke during the inauguration of the New Judges Quarters built by his administration in the Old GRA, Port Harcourt, the state capital, said no price would be too much to pay for peace.
House of Assembly Speaker Martins Amaewhule, who also spoke on the imperative of peace, rejected the regression to ethnic politics.
The Speaker, who hosted the NDDC, led by the Director of Finance and Administration, Chief Boma Iyaye, assured that the lawmakers would work for the peace, unity and progress of the state.
Fubara acknowledged that the past 16 months had been rough for his government.
He, however, said that after leaving office, his work would speak for him.
The governor said since the crisis started, a lot of money and resources that should have been channelled to the development of the state had been wasted by both sides.
He said: “It has not been easy these past 16 months, but what is important is that the interest of our state must be above our personal interest.
“I want to say it here very clearly that the Supreme Court has given a judgment. My administration will implement the judgment to its fullest. The reason is clear. It is not about me. It is about the good of this state.
“We can imagine the kind of waste that has taken place on both sides. This is money that if we had used in the affairs of this state, there would have been a lot of things to show. Thank God for where we are today.
“I can assure you that any day, any time, I have not gone back on my statement that nothing is too big to pay for peace in this state. Because at the end of the day, it is about our people.
“It is not about me, because I will leave, but the good that I have done will speak for my administration.”
The governor described the event as a special one, noting the presence of a former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) O.C.J Okocha (SAN), who he also described as an unusual person.
Okocha is among the elders backing the 27 lawmakers.
Fubara said: “Today is a special day because we have a very unusual person in our midst and I want to honestly appreciate his presence, Chief O.C.J Okocha. We are happy that you are here with us.”
The governor said the project was further proof that his administration took the welfare of judges seriously.
He said: “When we came on board, this particular project was one of the projects that we inherited and after the reports that we received from the ministry and some concerns that were made from the judiciary, we felt it didn’t matter who started the project and who the contractor is. But what is important is to complete this project because it is all about Rivers.”
Fubara urged the Chief Judge, Justice Chibuzor Amadi, to work with the government on the issue of maintenance of the new quarters to keep the facilities in good shape.
The Chief Judge described the inauguration as another milestone and a great accomplishment for Rivers judiciary.
He recalled that he laid the foundation for the project as part of activities marking the end of the administration of former Governor Nyesom Wike and with Fubara in attendance.
He said: “We are pleased with this landmark achievement, which represents the continuation of the policy of providing befitting residential accommodations for the judges of Rivers State on the owner-occupier basis or monetary grant in lieu thereof.
“This is backed by Rivers State Housing Scheme for Judicial Officers Law Number 10 of 2021.
“By the extant National Judicial Council guidelines for appointment of judges in Nigeria, availability of official residential accommodation and official vehicles are essential for the grant of approval by the NJC to any state for appointment of new judges.”
He said judicial officers required residential accommodation in view of the sensitive and important duties of their office.
Justice Amadi thanked Fubara for completing the legacy project for the enhancement of the duties of judges of Rivers State.
He said the policy of providing official accommodation for judges had reduced greatly the pressure on judicial officers, who hitherto struggled to build retirement homes while in service with limited resources.
No room for ethnic division, says Amaewhule
Amaewhule condemned the plot to cause ethnic division in the state, saying that the House of Assembly would not allow it.
He said Rivers had gone beyond ethnic narratives, assuring that the lawmakers would continue to push for the unity, peace and progress of the state.
Amaewhule said the Supreme Court judgment did not come as a surprise because the House had conducted its affairs within the ambit of the Constitution and the law.
He said: “What this country and our state truly deserves is the adherence to the rule of law and the dividends of democracy to our people through proper leadership. That is what we stand for. We were expecting the judgment because we know we have been conscious of our constitution.”
