Rivers State elders and leaders have chided President Bola Tinubu for exercising powers he does not have by purporting to overrule a court of competent jurisdiction via the directives contained in the now infamous Rivers Peace Accord.
The elders said this in a open letter toTinubu and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who seemed trapped by his loyalty to his estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike, faulting the Christmas Day broadcast by Fubara, in which he said he will implement the controversial 8-point peace agreement brokered by President Tinubu, which analysts say gave Wike all and left Fubara with nothing.
The Rivers elders, in their letter, dubbed the peace agreement “a death sentence,” saying also that it was lopsided in favour of Wike.
They therefore warned Fubara against implementing the resolution reached at a meeting with Tinubu in Abuja in an ttaempt to resolve the political impasse in the state.
Recall that Governor Fubara had shocked Rivers people, who are strongly behind him in the fight against Wike, in a Christmas message, in which he said that he will implement the peace resolution.
The elders, led by former Rivers State governor, Chief Rufus Ada-George, lauded Fubara for his humility as shown in his Christmas Day speech to the people of the state, but said in two separate open letters dated December 24, 2023, and addressed to President Tinubu and Fubara respectively, that the agreement was illegal and not implementable.
In both letters, read to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, they declared that the presidential resolution on the political crisis in Rivers State was against the rule of law.
The open letters were signed by Chief 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.
They wrote, “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, 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.
“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?” the elders queried.
“Does the President have the powers to overrule the ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction when he is a product of the court himself?
“Central to this, Mr President, is the sacred doctrine and practice of the separation of powers. May we inform Mr President that the seats of the cross-carpeting members have been declared vacant by the Speaker, known to the law, Rt Hon Ehie Edison, through an ex parte order issued by the Federal High Court Port Harcourt division.
“We cannot but imagine how providing accommodation and meeting venue for legislative business becomes the duty of members of the House of Assembly who you directed to seat wherever they choose and not by the Executive arm as in the case of the National Assembly Complex were Legislative Quarters are provided and maintained by the Executive arm.
“Given the foregoing, it is evident that Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Chief Executive Officer of Rivers State, was coerced into submitting to your premeditated action plan even when it is well known that Mr President does not possess such powers to give directives to a democratically elected governor or impose his will on the state government and the good people of Rivers State.
“As far as we are concerned, that meeting did not happen, and those directives are not implementable because to do so will be acting against the constitution and the rule of law.”
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