Rivers crisis: Cold war persists between Fubara, lawmakers

There is uncertainty over the proposed meeting of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara with the House of Assembly members led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule.

Although the meeting was scheduled for today at the Government House, Port-Harcourt, the state capital, the lawmakers had not given their commitment to the parley as of last night.

It is the first overture of the governor to the lawmakers since the Supreme Court ordered the seizure of allocations to the state and recognised Amaewhule as Speaker.

The governor, in the invitation dated March 7 and signed by the Secretary to the Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, scheduled the meeting for 10 am.

In the invitation, Fubara addressed Amaewhule as Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly.

For almost two years, Fubara and the 27 lawmakers have not met after the governor recognised the four-member House of Assembly chaired by Victor Oko-Jumbo.

Fubara, who had ordered the demolition of the House of Assembly, said the seats of the 27 lawmakers should be declared vacant, claiming that they had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor also laid before the four-member Assembly the 2024 and 2025 budgets.

Following the Supreme Court judgment that Fubara should re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the Assembly, the lawmakers had given a 48-hour ultimatum to him to comply.

The ultimatum expired last week.

However, the governor stated that the invitation aligned with his promise in his March 5 letter to notify them that he had received the Supreme Court’s judgment.

“He has, therefore, directed to invite you and your colleagues, the Honourable members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to a meeting,” the letter added.

The letter also listed the four items on the agenda of the meeting.

These are: the “provision of a befitting space for the Assembly’s sitting; payment of all outstanding remuneration and allowances of members of the honourable members; presentation of the budget and sundry matters and any other matter as may be necessary to chart the way forward in the best interest of Rivers State.”

However, sources close to the lawmakers said they may not honour the invitation until the governor complies with the Supreme Court judgment by re-presenting the 2025 budget to the Assembly.

According to a source, the lawmakers are unhappy that Fubara disregarded the letter sent to him by the Assembly to comply with the apex court judgment within 48 hours.

He said: “The only item on the agenda of the Rivers State House of Assembly tomorrow (today) is to receive the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Justice Adolphus Enebeli.”

A lawmaker, Lolo Isaiah Opuende, in an online video, ruled out any meeting point with the governor.

He said it was time for the governor to ‘dey his dey’ (be on his own) while the lawmakers would be on their own.

Opuende, who represents Akuku-Toru Constituency 11, recalled that when the crisis started, their “principal” (Nyesom Wike), told them that the real of ‘dey your dey’ would come.

He queried the mode of transmitting the invitation.

“How can you write a letter for the House of Assembly and put it on social media and expect us to come? The governor should write us the proper way.”

Another source, who spoke in confidence, said the lawmakers would not honour the invitation.

He said: “First, it is disrespectful for the governor to write to the Assembly through the SSG. The correspondences from the governor to the House of Assembly are usually signed personally by the governor.

“Secondly, the governor has no right to summon the House of Assembly. The Assembly has the constitutional oversight function on the Executive. Besides, items listed for deliberations in the so-called invitation do not make sense.

“You are inviting lawmakers to discuss their statutory allowances you withheld when you know you don’t have any budget and the money you are spending is illegal. Do you need to discuss their money first before paying them?

“You are also talking about discussing a place for them to sit when you know the Constitution allows the Assembly to choose any place they deem for sitting.

“Already, the House had scheduled Monday for a sitting and it is not for the governor. The lawmakers are expecting the Chairman of RISIEC to appear before them and if he fails to do so, they will issue him a warrant of arrest.”

But, the National President, Movement for the Survival of Ijaw Ethnic Nationality in Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Ambassador Kennedy Tonjo-West, hailed Fubara for inviting the lawmakers for a meeting.

He said: “This meeting presents a unique opportunity for the Assembly members and the governor to put aside their differences and work towards the progress and development of Rivers State.

“We urge them to seize this moment to bury their hatchet, make peace, and settle all areas of concern.”

Tonjo-West described the proposed meeting as the first step towards peace, urging all parties to approach it with an open mind and a willingness to compromise.He added: “We urge the assembly members to attend this meeting and reconcile their differences with the governor.

The peace of Rivers State depends on their collective efforts.”Enebeli refused to honour the Assembly’s invitation on Friday after the expiration of a 48-hour ultimatum.He has also sued the Assembly to prevent the dissolution of the electoral agency.However, during the plenary, the lawmakers resolved to extend the ultimatum to 72 hours, which expires today.

Also, the governor was given another 48 hours to sack all the commissioners who were not screened and confirmed by the Assembly and submit fresh nominees.According to the Assembly, the appointments of 19 members of the State Executive Committee are illegal.

The commissioners filed a suit at the state High Court in Port Harcourt challenging the resolutions of the House.