Wike not ready for peace in Rivers crisis – Clark tells Tinubu – Newstrends
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Wike not ready for peace in Rivers crisis – Clark tells Tinubu

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1 year ago

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Nyesom Wike, Siminalayi Fubara and President Bola Tinubu

Wike not ready for peace in Rivers crisis – Clark tells Tinubu

Former Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark has declared to President Bola Tinubu that the immediate past Governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Nyesom Wike is not ready for peace in the political crisis rocking the state.

In a statement on Thursday in Abuja, the Elderstatesman and Ijaw leader reiterated his call on President Tinubu to sanction Wike and call him to order to allow the elected Governor, Siminalaye Fubara to govern Rivers State peacefully.

Clark said, “The continuous activities of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, are clear indications that he is not ready for peace in Rivers State.

“It will be recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, intervened in the crisis when he issued an “8-point pact” to both parties which include: That the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalaye Fubara and his allies should withdraw all court cases pertaining to the matter, even though this is against the 1999 Constitution and against popular opinion of Rivers people and indeed Nigerians, His Excellency, Governor Fubara and his associates, including the Speaker recognised by the court, Rt. Hon. Edison Ebie, have complied with this proclamation.

“The expectation is that the 26 decamped legislative members who had filed cases in court, would have also done same. But they refused, giving rise to the judgment delivered by Justice James Omotoso, on Monday, 22nd January, 2024, stating amongst other things, the nullification of the 2024 Budget which was presented by Governor Fubara, passed and signed into law. Justice Omotoso said he based his judgment on the fact that the legislatures said there was nol evidence of settlement of the matter before him.
“That the Legislatures should drop the impeachment proceedings initiated against the Governor. This, the legislatures have complied with.

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“That Martins Amaewhule should be recognised as the Speaker of the House of Assembly. Governor Siminalaye Fubara, has complied with, even though it is against the 1999 Constitution which he swore to uphold and against public opinion and outcry. Having defected to another political party, Martins Amaewhule ceases to be a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

“That Governor Fubara should represent the 2024 Budget, which had already been passed and signed into law, to the legislatures. Governor Fubara is handicapped in complying with this term of settlement because there is a pending case in court brought against him by Leaders and Elders of Rivers State, precluding him from representing an already passed budget which has been signed into law. Until the case is dispensed and or determined, he can do nothing on this issue.

“That salaries and benefits for all the legislatures and staff should be restored. This, also, Governor Fubara has complied with, against the 1999 Constitution which he swore to uphold and against public opinion and outcry. Going by the Constitution, these 26 members or so, are no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. That the Legislatures should choose where they will sit to conduct their legislative duties. The legislatures had chosen a place where they have continued to sit, even before President Tinubu intervened in the matter. Again, this directive is also against the Constitution, because byl constitutional provisions, it is the duty of the Governor of a State, to provide accommodation for Legislatures of a State to perform their legislative functions. This played out during President Tinubu’s budget presentation to the members of the National Assembly, when he recognised Nyesom Wike as landlord, because he is the Minister of the FCT.

“From the above, it shows clearly that Governor Fubara, obeyed Mr. President and carried out his directives, in violation of the 1999 Constitution “for the sake of peace”, except that which he is currently precluded from doing by the courts. Even though majority of Nigerians were not happy with the terms of the settlement.

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“Having done all these against the Constitution which Siminalaye Fubara, as Governor of Rivers State swore to uphold, Nyesom Wike is not seen, wittingly or unwittingly, by his latent or otherwise conduct, advancing peace in Rivers State.

“Let the truth be told to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nyesom Wike is not ready for any form of peace. Therefore, I call on the President, once again, to sanction Mr. Wike and call him to order to allow the elected Governor, Siminalaye Fubara, whom he, Nyesom Wike, claimed he made to govern Rivers State peacefully. However, I did not anticipate that Mr. President would proclaim an 8-point agreement that appears to be one-sided and unconstitutional, when I appealed to him to call Nyesom Wike to order.

Section 1 of the 1999 Constitution states that;
“This constitution is Supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
and; Section 109 (1g) states that;
“A member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if – being the person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that house was elected provided that its membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored”

“Mr. President, I humbly submit that, given my age and status as a senior citizen of Nigeria, I cannot accept any action that undermine or violate the provisions of the 1999 Federal Constitution of Nigeria as amended and the freedom of Nigerians as expressed in their constitutional and democratic rights.”

 

Wike not ready for peace in Rivers crisis – Clark tells Tinubu

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Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG

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5 days ago

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March 23, 2025

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Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) yesterday attributed its neutral position on the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State to the need to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.

Taking positions on contentious partisan issues, the NGF said, would not augur well for it, especially in view of its past experience in fundamental division.

Notwithstanding, the declaration of the state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu yesterday generated more kudos and knocks from across the country.

Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, said the action of the president was meant to ensure protection of lives and restoration of law and order in the state, while the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said his principal  was required  to “avert needless harm and destruction .”

National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, said Tinubu, by his action, cleared what had manifested as a constitutional crisis in Rivers state.

But former President Goodluck Jonathan saw it from a different perspective.

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He described “abuse of office and power by the three arms of government in the country“ as a dent on Nigeria’s image.

The NGF, in a statement by its Director General Abdulateef Shittu, said it is essentially “an umbrella body for sub-national governments to promote unified policy positions and collaborate with relevant stakeholders in pursuit of sustainable socio-economic growth and the well-being of the people.”

It added: “As a technical and policy hub comprising governors elected on different platforms, the body elects to steer clear of taking positions that may alienate members with varying political interests.

“In whatever language it is written, taking positions on contentious partisan issues would mean a poor sense of history — just a few years after the forum survived a fundamental division following political differences among its members.

“Regardless, the Forum is reputed for its bold positions on governance and general policy matters of profound consequences, such as wages, taxes, education and universal healthcare, among others.”

It asked for “the understanding of the public and the media, confident that appropriate platforms and crisis management mechanisms would take care of any such issues.”

Why governors’ forum is silent on Rivers emergency, by DG

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Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

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5 days ago

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March 22, 2025

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Chairman of the Senate Services Sunday Karimi

Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

Chairman of the Senate Services Sunday Karimi has hailed President Bola Tinubu for the decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.

 He told reporters on Friday in Abuja that the President acted in the best interest of the State and Nigeria, having taken his decision in compliance with the Constitution.

“No President or government worth a name, will fold its arms and watch a political situation deteriorate to what we saw unfolding in Rivers State.

“We saw that bombing of pipelines had begun, and the security situation was getting worse with the tension everywhere”, Karimi stated.

Karimi, who represents Kogi-West on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), recalled the “fatherly role” Tinubu had played in the crisis since 2023 in a bid to get the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara to reach an understanding, to no avail.

He explained: “We were all here in 2023 when Mr President called that truce meeting at the Aso Rock Villa. There was the eight-point agenda for settlement reached between the factions.

“When Nigerians expected that progress should be made to achieve peace, things started deteriorating considerably to a point where the governor demolished the House of Assembly building and administered the state with only three legislators.”

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Karimi observed that with the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, which gave the upper hand to the 27 lawmakers loyal to the camp of the FCT Minister, matters merely got worse in the State as the lawmakers were set to impeach the Governor.

“What did you expect would be the implications? There would have been more destruction, killings and economic losses for the country.

“With the bombings that had already started, it was a matter of time before the whole state would be engulfed in flames. No responsible President would sit, arms folded, and allow that to happen “ he added.

The senator further argued that it took “painstaking efforts” by the administration to raise daily crude oil production to around 1,800 barrels, noting that Nigeria’s economy was already “witnessing a rebound under the renewed hope projects of the government.”

“Allowing the situation in Rivers to get worse before he would act, wouldn’t have helped the state or Nigeria as a country in any way.

“Mr. President intervened at the right time, and his actions are covered by law,” he said.

Karimi also spoke on the emergency declaration  in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and a couple of other states by former President Goodluck Jonathan without removing the Governors from office or suspending the state assemblies.

According to him, the case with those States was not generated by political crises but rather security concerns.

“So, I will advise those comparing the two scenarios to remember that one was purely about security threats resulting from the insurgency caused by Boko Haram, while that of Rivers is clearly political.

“It was the proper thing to do to suspend the political actors in the two factions to allow for tensions to diffuse. Nigerians should appreciate the President for the action he has taken so far,” he stated.

Sen. Karimi also noted that there was no cause for alarm as the National Assembly had indicated that the emergency rule could be reviewed as soon as there were signs that things could quickly normalise in Rivers State.

 

Rivers: Tinubu acted to save state, economy, says Karimi

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Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas

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1 week ago

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March 19, 2025

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Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibok-ete Ibas 

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (Retd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.

The administrator was sworn in on Wednesday after a short meeting with the President.

Tinubu announced the appointment of the retired naval chief at a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly members.

The President said his decision was based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking concrete action.

The suspension of Fubara and other elected representatives has been rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, groups such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian Bar Association.

However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, accusing Fubara of contravening the Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state.

Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.

He is from Cross River State where he had his early education.

The new sole administrator went to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 from where he proceeded to have a successful career in the Navy, rising through the ranks to the very top.

He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.

President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him as Chief of Naval Staff conferred him with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2022.

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