Clark, LP, CSOs to Tinubu: Save Rivers from anarchy

● Demand he calls FCT Minister Wike to order

Amid the flaming political drama playing out in Rivers State with the 27 Assemblymen quitting the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressive Congress (APC), prominent individuals and groups in the Niger Delta region have urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene and avert a possibly full-blown chaos in the State.

According to the stakeholders, a major step in staving off the brewing political storm is for Mr President to rein in his appointee and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike alleged to be behind the current ugly developments in Rivers.

Among those leading the caution charge and demanding the President’s immediate intervention to douse tension in the South-South state are Elder Statesman, Edwin Clark, the opposition Labour Party (LP), Human Rights groups, Ogoni Development Drive (ODD), Coalition of Rivers Civil Society (CSOs) and a Non-Governmental Organisation, Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CFRPA).

For Clark, a former Federal Commissioner for Information, the President must urgently intervene to address the crisis involving Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike to nib the problem in the bud given the importance of Rivers State to the stability of the Niger Delta region and the nation’s overall economy.

In a letter addressed to President Tinubu, the South-South Leader said; “Further to my letter yesterday of 10th December, 2023 on the lingering situation in Ondo State, I would like to write again as promised to call your urgent attention in dousing the state of deep political divide in Rivers State. As you would recall, I had earlier addressed a press conference four weeks ago when the political crisis started in Rivers State, appealing to you to personally handle this matter.

“I thank you for the action which you took at the time, including urging the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor in office, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who is today a Minister in your government to sheath their swords. However, let no one be deceived, the situation is not yet over and things seem to be degenerating by the day.

“Both the minister and governor are my sons and that informs my particular interest to ensure that peace returns as soon as possible to Rivers State. Besides, Rivers State is very important to the stability of the Niger Delta and the overall national economy. Therefore, any breakdown of law and order there will not be in the overall interest of all.

“I am very sure that your security and media people could have kept you abreast of what we see happening every day. First and foremost is the fact that the Governor of Rivers State has since gone on to apologize to the people of the State over what he considers to have been how the political intrigues created anxiety and tension in the state when it occurred. As a former Governor, you will agree with me that this is gentlemanly and commendable of the Governor.

“However, I am surprised that the public utterances by the Minister, Mr Wike and other related developments do not give an impression that he has moved much forward in resolving this matter. On one occasion, he stated that impeachment is not a military coup…”, the continued press statements and interviews by the Minister of the FCT leave no one in doubt that nothing is okay.

“In fact, in his recent interview held on Friday, 24th November 2023, the Minister charged one of his group of guests that the Governor is ungrateful, concluding that ‘I cannot stand ingrates.’ He continued stating how he had helped the Governor to become what he had become today and threatening publicly that he would continue the fight if the Governor ‘changes the structures which I left in the state.’

“Mr. President, I want to seek your clarification, why is the Minister keeping structures and for what purpose? I recall that in his days as a Governor, he had attacked the concept of godfatherism as totally unacceptable. Matter of fact, this made him fall out with his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi…

“If all governors who as a matter of right, insist on allowing their favoured candidates as successor, insist on controlling them, insist on controlling the State Assemblies, insist on controlling the structure which they left behind, what manner of confusion will we have in Nigeria?”

Labour Party Kicks, Demands Fresh Polls

Also worried about current developments in Rivers State, the Labour Party (LP), through its State Chairperson, Hilda Dokubo, said illegality must not be condoned in the State given the inherent provisions in Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

In a media statement reacting to the 27 lawmakers’ defection to the APC and the clamour for fresh elections to fill vacancies allegedly created by their actions, the LP stated thus; “The above provision of the constitution is very clear about the fate that must befall those legislators who betrayed the party that sponsored them.”

The Party recalled that in 2022, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja sacked 16 Ebonyi House of Assembly members for defection based on Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution; 18 members of Cross River House of Assembly and two House of Representatives members; while the LP suffered the same fate in Ondo State.

According to her, the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, should without any delay, declare the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant, and consequently direct INEC to organise fresh polls, adding; “The Labour Party can also vividly recall that in 2012, our member representing Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency defected to another party. This case lingered until the Supreme Court in 2015 ordered him to immediately vacate his seat following his defection from the Labour Party.”

“The apex Court’s unanimous judgement held that the lawmaker who decamped from the Labour Party to another party was constitutionally unfit to retain his seat as a federal lawmaker in the House of Representatives,” she posited.

Civil Society Groups Write INEC

On its part, a Non-Governmental Organisation, the Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CFRPA) urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections in the affected 27 Rivers State constituencies, which it argued have become “vacant.”

Writing to the INEC National Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu demanding an official declaration of vacancy and the conduct of a by-election in the affected constituencies, CFRPA, through its Legal Adviser, Kalu Kalu Agu, urged the Electoral umpire to immediately commence in line with existing constitutional provisions.

Citing the decision in Ogbuoji Vs Umuha (2022) 8 NWLR (PT 1832), 323, stating that the INEC shall conduct a by-election to fill the vacancies created by the said defections, the group said; “Given the foregoing, we respectfully implore you (INEC Chairman) to commence the process of conducting a bye-election in Rivers State to fill the said vacancies. Take notice that in the event you fail to heed to our demand within 48 hours of receipt of this letter, we shall commence a legal action to compel you to comply with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.”

Towing the same line, Human Rights groups, Ogoni Development Drive (ODD) and a Coalition of Rivers Civil Society (CSOs) charged President Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to save Rivers State from being plunged into anarchy.

Addressing the media in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Convener of ODD, Solomon Lenu, urged the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, to avoid being smeared by the actions of political actors in the State regarding the current Assembly crisis.

Lenu cautioned the Police boss to learn from the story of a former Police Commissioner in the State, Joseph Mbu who ended up being called “a notorious Commissioner of Police that aligned himself with acts of lawlessness in the state in 2013.”

Pointedly, the ODD Convener said; “The Commissioner of Police and his men should remain neutral and obey the court orders in this matter by not allowing any of the two factions to gain access to the Assembly complex.

“We want peace in Rivers State and not anarchy. We reiterate that Mr President should caution his minister to give peace a chance and allow Fubara to attend to his responsibilities as a governor who was duly elected by the Rivers people.”

APC Hails Defectors As Real Democrats
Even as some members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), as well as APC in Ahoada West Local Government Council, defected to the ruling PDP and declared support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the opposition APC in Rivers State is upbeat hailing the defecting lawmakers as real democrats.

The APC Caretaker Chairman in the State, Tony Okocha, who spoke with journalists, expressed delight at the current development and described the defectors as real democrats, saying; “Today, we received 27 former members of the PDP into the APC, Rivers State.

“We commend the defectors. If the governor of the state has decided to give vent to four persons over 27, how does that go? We have gone past the era of 16 being above 19.”

Disparaging Governor Fubara, the APC Chairman, who also represents Rivers State on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board, further said; “There is no government in Rivers State. This government was built on the plank of continuity. Nothing is happening in the state.

“People are hungry. They are angry. There has to be checks and balances. There will be a check to the government now. We commend the defectors for this decision they have taken. They are real democrats.” [Forefront Ng]