The Rivers Elders and Leaders’ Forum (RELF) said that Governor Siminalayi Fubara does not possess the constitutional authority to execute the presidential peace resolution supported by President Bola Tinubu
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday on behalf of the group, Chief Rufus Ada-George, former governor of Old Rivers State, said that the people of the state were not represented during the peace meeting in Abuja
Ada-George stated that Rivers elders have already written to Tinubu and Fubara, demanding adherence to the rule of law while seeking to establish political peace in the state.
He conveyed that the choice to write to the President and the Governor came after reviewing Fubara’s Christmas Day broadcast, during which he pledged to implement the President’s eight-point peace terms involving himself, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the President.
The former governor, emphasizing their aim to ensure peace and stability in the state, queried whether the President has the authority to overturn the ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction through such intervention.
Ada-George said: “We would like to commend Your Excellency, for heeding to our call; to help mediate in the political rift between Barr. Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and Sir Siminialayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers State. However, as a people, we are now at a loss as to whether your intervention has helped in quelling the crisis or escalated it.
“For us, as custodians of the Rivers people’s conscience and morality, we find the directive resolution document lopsided and skewed in favor of the interest of your current Minister, Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike, to the detriment of the Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, the governance of the state and the interest of the generality of the good people of Rivers State.”
He expressed regret that stakeholders and interest groups from Rivers were not represented during the peace talks
Ada-George said: “The composition and attendance showed lack of balance between the two warring factions. The faction recognized by a court of competent jurisdiction, the Elders of Rivers State, traditional rulers, women, and youth leadership, were not represented at the meeting.”
Kanyi Daily recalls that Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, have agreed to resolve the political turmoil in Rivers State
