Rivers State saw some calm yesterday as President Bola Tinubu navigated the political impasse and confrontation between his estranged godfather, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the beleaguered governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The president reportedly wanted to put a stop to the conflict between the two political allies, so he took advantage of Tuesday's Police Council meeting, which the governor and the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory attended as members.
Following attempts on Monday by a segment of the state's House of Assembly to impeach the governor, Fubara and Wike's friendship took a blow.
According to sources, Wike is to blame for the impeachment scheme. When the Assembly, divided between the governor and his predecessor, launched daring countermoves to checkmate each camp, the political climate in Port Harcourt abruptly turned chaotic.
Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi State, revealed the President's intervention to reporters as he was describing the conclusions of the Police Council meeting that took place at the State House in Abuja.
Even though they were at odds, Fubara and Wike had already mingled within the Council Chambers prior to the meeting starting.
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF), Mohammed revealed that the opposition governors have decided to collaborate with the President due to his demonstration of good faith by refraining from meddling in court-filed gubernatorial matters.
"A highly important national issue with consequences for security was discussed in a closed session. It is the issue that Rivers is starting to face. It seems like peace will prevail after Mr. President, in his customary role as leader, stepped in.
"On that subject, the PDP governors, on whose behalf I spoke, praised the President's leadership abilities and expressed gratitude that every PDP governor who had faced the tribunals had come out on top. We are aware that is how to lead.
Some of the governors, including Wike and National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, were seen conversing casually before entering a closed door, while others were joking around.
In the subsequent event, Wike went on to shake hands and converse briefly with Fubara following his separation from the NSA.
This is the first face-to-face meeting between Fubara, dressed in a white kaftan, and his estranged godfather, who is also wearing a white kaftan, since their alleged altercation started.
Fubara made his first presence at the PDP-GF meeting shortly after the conclusion of the Police Council meeting, where decisions were made to help bring the political crisis in Rivers to an immediate end.
A communiqué after the gathering revealed that "the PDP governors were alarmed at the recent developments in Rivers and welcomed the intervention of Mr. President to bring the crises to an end." Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, served as the meeting's host.
All parties involved in the crises were asked at the summit to put down their weapons and pursue peaceful solutions. The Forum also offered its venue for an expedient and equitable containment of the problems.
The agreement made at the conference was to reestablish and fortify PDP as a strong opposition political force that is prepared to assume the role of leading the Nigerian people in the pursuit of democracy, responsible government, and accountability.
Regarding the domestic economy, the gathering fervently appealed for the Federal Government's patriotic involvement in order to stabilize the Naira, manage inflation, curb jobless issues, and provide further support to the Nigerian people.
Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Fubara, the Vice Chairman of the Forum, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa, and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta were among the governors present.
The others are Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Ademola Adeleke of Osun, Kefas Agbu of Taraba, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, and Ifeanyi Ossai, the deputy governor of Enugu.
Dr. Alaye Theophilus, the president of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), has issued a warning in response to the political developments in Rivers, saying that the group will thwart any peace agreement that is made in Abuja that is hostile to the Rivers people.
Theophilus, who revealed the youth group's stance to reporters yesterday at the Rivers State Government House gate, where throngs of young people had assembled in support of the governor, stated that the youths are keeping track of events in Abuja.
He acknowledged that President Tinubu has started ongoing negotiations, but emphasized that although the conversations are in support of the governor, they will not stand for Fubara if he signs any peace agreement that is antagonistic to the Rivers people.
He claims that the young people in the state are open to a nonviolent solution to the political unrest there. There is a political undertone to everything that is going on. As a council, we also support any political solution that restores peace to the state because we believe that peace is a precious commodity.
"We are arguing that the governor should be allowed to function; what we really want is a level playing field. We will not object if the peace agreement reached in Abuja allows the governor complete authority to manage Rivers' affairs.
We will, however, oppose the peace pact if it is biased against the Rivers people. We will accept it if it will also grant the governor the authority to administer the benefits of democracy. That's our stance, he declared.
Nonetheless, a few political competitors in the state's most recent gubernatorial contest have denounced the current turmoil, arguing that the government cannot bear the needless losses the situation has already brought about.
Dumo Lulu-Briggs and Magnus Abe, the Accord Party and Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidates in the March polls, respectively, voiced their worries in separate comments about the increased political instability within the last 48 hours.
Lulu-Briggs, who voiced grave concern about the events, described the continued division as very depressing. He went on to say that the parliamentary chambers ought to be a location where justice is carried out and constitutional values are upheld, not a stage for instability.
"Political instability will only worsen their lot at this time when our people, like other Nigerians, are going through arduous economic situations," he declared.
The oil tycoon urged the Rivers Assembly's leadership to prioritize the interests of the state and its citizens in these difficult times, saying that they should be led by the pursuit of the common good.
As the governor's chief security officer and the only Rivers man currently enjoying constitutional immunity, Abe, for his part, denounced the reported direct firing of live bullets and tear gas at the governor, stating that a deeper discussion between the Nigerian police and the governor was necessary.
"The direct gunshots and tear gassing on the person of the Governor of Rivers was wrong," he declared, citing viral videos in the media. This goes beyond politics, and I disavow it openly.
Chijioke Ihunwo, the head of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) branch in Rivers State, and more than a hundred other people were taken into custody by police state command agents following a demonstration.
After learning that some anti-Fubabara lawmakers were meeting at the Assembly quarters along Aba Road at around 2:00 p.m., it was discovered that the youth chairman organized a protest to allegedly disrupt the gathering. However, when they arrived at the meeting, they were made to sit on the ground and were eventually taken into custody.
Following that, Ihunwo and other others were taken into custody by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). An online video appeared on social media, showing the angry teenagers breaking into Speaker Martin Amaewhule's lodge and attempting to forcibly open the gate, even though the police have not yet responded to the incident. Tension has increased as a result of calls from certain young people for the police to act impartially and professionally.
The Lagos State House of Assembly has expressed concern over the development and asked President Tinubu to request that Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun reopen the house so that the legislators can carry out their jobs.
Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker of the House, stated that the legislature should not become a victim of a political crisis amidst gladiators, as was the case in Edo, where the governor dismantled the parliament's roof, and other states where similar incidents had previously occurred.
"At all times, the Constitution must be followed. There is no justification for locking down the Assembly because the problem originated in the governor's office. Even if lawmakers disagree, they ought to be free to work things out among themselves without intervention from the executive branch.
"It is against the Constitution to allow the Speaker to be removed behind closed doors. We acknowledge that impeachments are democratic, but whether it's a governor or a speaker, the process needs to be followed.
"Where and when was the meeting held where the Speaker was taken out of the room? How many MPs abstained from voting for the current Speaker? In order to save his own skin, the governor of Rivers "must not sacrifice the House of Assembly or turn the legislators against themselves," the governor declared.
Obasa urged Tajudeen Abbas of the House of Representatives and Senate President Godswill Akpabio to act quickly to defend the Rivers Assembly and its members.
The burning of the Rivers State legislative chamber by individuals who have not yet been recognized was denounced by the House members. The members asserted that the state legislature's independence is guaranteed by the constitution and denounced the purported meddling in legislative matters by the executive branch of government.
In the meantime, Niger Delta leaders issued a warning on Tuesday to opponents of the Wike-led government in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to cease their protests.
They said that Wike is fully supported by the people of the Niger Delta and other well-meaning Nigerians to carry out President Tinubu's directives and continue his job in the Federal Capital Territory.