From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Rivers Elders and Leaders Forum (RELF) has countered the stance of Governor Siminalayi Fubara that the Presidential Peace Proclamation (PPP) is not a “death sentence”.
The Rivers State Governor, Fubara, in his Christmas Day statewide broadcast on Monday, had reaffirmed his willingness to implement the eight-point peace agreement between him and his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nyesom Wike.
Fubara, in that his broadcast, said after he had studied the issued agreed, he discovered that the peace pact was not a death sentence, but intended to restore peace in the state.
Reacting to Fubara’s position on the pact, the Forum in a letter addressed to the state governor dated December 26, 2023, said the PPP was a death sentence, stressing that it breached the constitutional rights sworn by the governor.
The Forum in that open letter captioned “Peace in Galilee?” and signed by eminent Rivers indigenes, including former governor, Rufus Ada-George, former deputy governor, Gabriel Toby and 15 others maintained that there was no ‘peace’ seen in the agreement.
“We accept your humility as shown in your Christmas Day broadcast of 25th December, 2023, to the good people of Rivers State. However, we, the people of Rivers State, do not see any peace in the so-called “Mr President’s Peace Proclamation”.
“The Forum commends your Excellency’s honesty and sincerity in accepting that Mr. President’s Peace Proclamation “has elicited mixed reactions from our people and across the country.
“Peace can only be practised in a germane, truthful and just society. In this case, the environment in which the peace was brokered showed no sensitivity to the people’s security, political and social interest.
“Mr Governor, Sir, you stated categorically that you are a principal participant in the entire saga and the Presidential Peace Proclamation is not as bad as being portrayed by those genuinely opposed to it.
“That proclamation is actually a death sentence as it breaches all legal and constitutional rights you swore to uphold. Mr. Governor, you also stated in your broadcast that the document offers a way and means of peace: Peace at what cost?
“Your Excellency, Sir, one of the Arab-Israel wars was declared over on the lawns of the White House, believing that the war was, indeed, over with a declaration that there is peace in Galilee. Today, we are living witnesses to the facts that the documents signed by the late Israel President Menachem Begin, and the Late PLO Chairman, Yasser Arafat, has been shredded into pieces, and there is neither celebration of Christmas nor peace in Bethlehem.”
The Forum advised Fubara not to place too much premium on the assurances of detractors, rather, he should be guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria he swore to uphold.
The elders and leaders cautioned the state government that he did not have any constitutional power to implement the Presidential Peace Proclamation.
“The Forum believes that there could be peace in Port Harcourt and, indeed, the entire Rivers, if only your Excellency would be circumspect in your actions, measured in your engagements, and have a critical mind in your review of events.
“Therefore, Mr Governor, you have no constitutional or any other legal power to implement the ‘Presidential Peace Prociamation.”
Meanwhile, the Forum had earlier in its letter to President Bola Tinubu faulted the peace pact, saying that document was lopsided and skewed to favour the Minister of FCT.
The elders and leaders said: “For us as custodians of the Rivers people’s conscience and morality, we find the directive resolution document lopsided and skewed in favour of the interest of your current Minister, Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Wike, to the detriment of the Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the governance of the state and the interest of the generality of the good people of Rivers State.”
They declared that the PPP is not implementable because the meeting never existed.