By METROWATCH
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and immediate-past governor of Rivers State Monday night gained a political rebound following an 8-point DIRECTIVES dressed in a document that his successor, Sim Fubara signed with other political actors in the state to resolve the lingering political crisi in the state.
However, some major stakeholders in the state told metrowatchxtra.com on phone that the signed DIRECTIVES were not implementable.
“That’s a Villa document. It’s not about Fubara. The governorship belongs to Rivers people. It was Fubara versus the minister (Wike) that was backed by the federal might and the young man may have signed to be allowed to walk out of the place. In any case, such do not stand the test of the law. We are waiting for him (Fubara) to return to know the next line of action”, the source said under anonymity.
The signed DIRECTIVES culminated in the weeks of political hiccup in Rivers State following the failed attempt to impeach Fubara by lawmakers in the state House of Assembly that are loyal to the FCT minister.
This forced a division in the Assembly with the resultant emergence of parallel speakers. 27 of the lawmakers had Martin Anaewhule as their speaker, while the other faction led by Edison Ehie appointed their leader (Edison) as their speaker.
In the ensuing litigation, Edison was recognised by the Rivers State High Court as the “authentic Speaker” of the state House of Assembly.
He immediately declared the seats of members of the other faction vacant. Two of the 27 were later to rejoin the Edison’s group.
To resolve the leadership crisis, a meeting was called by the Presidency on Monday, Dec 18, 2023.
At the end of the two-hour-meeting, an 8-point DIRECTIVES document was signed by the governor, Sim Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu and the FCT minister Wike.
Others are NSA Nuhu Ribadu; factional Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule; PDP Chairman in Rivers State, Aaron Chukwuemeka; and Acting Chairman of the Rivers APC, Tony Okocha.
THE DIRECTIVES:
1. 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by the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, and his team, in respect of the political crisis in Rivers State, shall be withdrawn IMMEDIATELY.
2. ALL impeachment proceedings initiated against the Governor of Rivers State by the Rivers State House of Assembly should be dropped immediately.
3. The leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly as led by the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule shall be recognized alongside the 27 members who resigned from the PDP.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly.
7. 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.
8. 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.
