Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Monday, criticised the attitude of the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly towards his administration, saying the members will cease to exist as legislators if he so decides.
He said the lawmakers are existing based on his recognition predicated on the Peace Accord initiated by President Bola Tinubu.
Governor Fubara stated this while addressing a delegation of political and traditional leaders from Bayelsa State who visited him at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital, to seek and end to the political crisis in Rivers State and an improved relationship between both states.
Others on the delegation included the first Military Governor of old Rivers State, Alfred Diete-Spiff, who is the Traditional Ruler of Twon Brass in Bayelsa State, other Traditional Rulers, former Commissioners, former State and National Assembly members and PDP executives.
Governor Fubara told the delegation which was led by the former Governor of Bayelsa State and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Henry Siriake Dickson, that he has been the one showing restriant since the crisis escalated in the state.
He said despite wielding state powers which he can deploy to achieve his aim, he has continued to act as the big brother in the face of intimidation and unwarranted attacks.
He said, “Those group of men who claim that are Assembly members are not Assembly members, they are not existing. I want it to be on record. I accepted that Peace Accord to give them a floating. That is the truth. There was nothing in that Peace Accord that’s a constitutional issue; it’s a political solution to a problem. And I accepted it because these were people that were eating in my house, these were people I have helped paid their children’s school fees when I wasn’t even a governor. So, what is the thing there?
“We might have our division but I believe that one day, we could also come together but it has gotten to a time when I have to make a statement that they are not existing. Their existence is me allowing them to exist. If I de-recognise them, they are nowhere. I want you to see the sacrifice I have made in allowing peace to reign in our state.”
He revealed that he had always been present at any meeting that was called to resolve the crisis in the state but after each meeting, he was met with a new dimension of the crisis from the opposing side.
He vowed to continued to be peaceful, acknowledging that power is transient.
