Elders’ forum vow not to rest on the matter
The Rivers Elders And Leadership Forum has said Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s Christmas message that the implementation of the peace agreement between him and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is not a “death sentence”, but only to bring temporary relief to Wike and his allies.
Fubara, in his Christmas message, on Monday, said that the terms of the peace agreement are not as grievous as most people made it to appear, admitting that some people that are kicking against it are genuine.
Leader of the forum, Anabs Sara-Igbe, disclosed, yesterday, that the elders and leaders of the state are currently working with Rivers lawyers to file more cases on the matter to enable the court to define what the law says.
“Our decision and determination to file more cases on this matter is because we cannot see where the governor can deliberately contradict court orders. If there is truly separation of powers among the three arms of government, then it is wrong for a sitting President to contradict court orders. The President should know where his powers end,” Saro-Igbe stated.
It would be recalled that the truce initiated by President Bola Tinubu has been adjudged by many to be biased, unjust and anti-people.
The Guardian recalled that some Rivers elders had dragged Tinubu, among others, including Fubara to an Abuja Federal Court on account of a breach of the Constitution in signing the peace agreement.
Also, erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) and Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said that the assurance by Fubara to implement the resolution is not holistic, but serves only as a temporary respite for Wike and his circle of voyagers pending Supreme Court ruling on Rivers gubernatorial election in January 2024.
A former aide to the FCT Minister, Opunabo Nko-Taria, also pointed out that Fubara’s Christmas broadcast suggested that the governor was not ready to implement the resolution signed at the instance of Tinubu. Nko-Taria, while speaking on a Port Harcourt-based radio station, yesterday, said Fubara was threatened to sign the peace resolution with Wike. He also criticised former commissioners who are seeking to be reappointed after resigning their positions.
