Port Harcourt, December 28, 2023— In a bold move, elders and leaders from Rivers State have penned an open letter to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, cautioning him against executing the resolution formulated during a recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
The purpose of the meeting was to address the lingering political crisis in the state.
The elders, led by former Rivers State governor, Chief Rufus Ada-George, expressed their apprehension in two separate open letters dated December 24, 2023.
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These letters were addressed to President Tinubu and Governor Fubara, respectively, and were shared with the media in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Describing the resolution as nothing short of a “death sentence,” the elders contended that it exhibited a clear bias in favor of Fubara’s estranged political mentor and former governor, Nyesom Wike. According to their perspective, the directive document was deemed lopsided and skewed, disadvantaging Governor Fubara and the interests of the Rivers State populace.
The elders, in their written correspondence, challenged the legitimacy of Tinubu’s authority to overturn the decision of a court of competent jurisdiction. They criticized Governor Fubara’s Christmas Day broadcast, where he expressed intentions to implement the resolution, calling it into question.
The signatories of the open letters included prominent figures such as Chief Rufus Ada-George, Dr. Gabriel Toby, Ibim Princewill, Rear Adm. P. Fingesi (retd.), Emeritus Prof. Dagogo Fubara, HRH Iraron, Ede Obolo, Anabs Sara-Igbe, Senator Bennett Birabi, Ms. Annkio Briggs, Captain Nwankwo, Prof. A.W. Obianime, Prof. E. T. Bristol, High Chief Marcus Atata, Senator Wilson Ake, Dr. Silva Opusunju, Sen Andrew Uchendu, Kalada Iruenabere, Atamuno Atamuno, Prof. N O Nyenke, and Godwin Abbey.
The elders queried Governor Fubara on the proclamation of the Presidential Peace Proclamation, asserting that it posed a serious threat to legal and constitutional rights. They questioned whether the President had the authority to overturn a court ruling, emphasizing the importance of the separation of powers.
Highlighting a significant development, the elders mentioned that the seats of cross-carpeting members had been declared vacant by the Speaker, Rt Hon Ehie Edison, through an ex parte order from the Federal High Court Port Harcourt division.
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They criticized the directives given by President Tinubu, stating that Governor Fubara was coerced into compliance with an action plan that overstepped constitutional boundaries.
Despite their strong stance against the purported meeting and directives, the elders commended Governor Fubara for his humility, particularly noting his Christmas Day speech to the people of Rivers State. The unfolding events indicate a deepening rift and complex power dynamics within the political landscape of Rivers State.
