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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
As part of moves to resolve the ongoing political rift in Rivers State, Governor Simi Fubara and his camp have been advised to withdraw all matters instituted in the courts.
In return, the opposing camp made up of the 27 lawmakers loyal to former governor and incumbent Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, are to immediately drop the impeachment proceedings initiated against the governor.
These were part of the eight-point resolutions reached at the meeting held by President Bola Tinubu with Governor Fubara, the former governor of the state , Sir Peter Odili and other stakeholders from Rivers State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.
Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Rivers State deputy governor were also in attendance.
President Tinubu’s efforts at restoring peace in the crisis torn Rivers State was reportedly made during the closed session of the Nigeria Police Council meeting, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohamed, had told state House correspondents that President Tinubu’s intervention would restore peace to the Niger Delta state.
Mohammed, who is the chair-man of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) said the oppo-sition governors resolved to work with the president because he had shown good faith by not interfering with gubernatorial cases brought before the courts by PDP members.
“We had a closed session, you will recall, members of the press, where a very serious national issue was discussed that has se-curity implication. That is the problem emerging in Rivers. Mr. President, in his usual leadership position, intervened and it would appear there will be peace.
The meeting followed the face-off between the governor and his predecessor, Wike who was at the State House before the meeting.
The crisis has led to a series of consequences, including the demolition of the state House of Assembly complex and the imposition of security blockades at the Assembly entrance.
The meeting also canvassed recognition for the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule alongside the 27 members who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Others resolution include the reinstatement of remunerations and benefits of all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and their staff and a directive to the governor not to interfere with the full funding of the Rivers State House of Assembly
“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
“The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly.
“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
“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.”
