On Monday, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara staunchly defended the peace accord brokered by President Bola Tinubu, aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis between him and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
In a broadcast, Fubara emphasized that the resolution facilitated by the President should not be perceived as a punitive measure, asserting that its primary objective is to establish enduring peace within the state.
The governor articulated his unwavering dedication to executing the terms of the peace agreement in a manner that reinstates political stability throughout the region.
In response, the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party cautioned the governor against implementing the agreement without consulting the party (PDP), the platform on which he was elected.
The crisis rocking the state took a new turn on December 11, 2023, when 27 members of the state House of Assembly defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress.
At the instance of Tinubu, Fubara on December 18 signed an eight-point peace agreement with Wike, who is the Federal Capital Territory, in a move to end the political crisis in the state.
However, the PDP officially joined a suit seeking to declare vacant the seats of the lawmakers who defected from the party to the APC.
The party vowed to vigorously pursue the case despite Tinubu’s peace meeting with Rivers State political stakeholders.
Peace deal
But speaking on the peace pact during his Christmas Day broadcast, the governor pledged to implement the agreement without compromising the interest of the people of the state.
Fubara said, “By this singular effort, our dear President has demonstrated that he loves Rivers State and cherishes nothing short of a reign of perfect peace in our State with his presidential peace proclamation on the 18th of December 2023. Mr President’s Peace Proclamation has naturally elicited mixed reactions from our people and across the country.
“As a principal participant in the entire saga, I have taken some time to study the terms therein and have come to the conclusion that the peace pact is not as bad as it may be portrayed by those genuinely opposed to it.
“It is certainly not a death sentence. I reaffirm my acceptance and my commitment to implementing both the letter and spirit of the declaration in such a way and manner that will restore political stability to our dear state without compromising the collective interest of our people and our cherished and shared democratic values.”
The governor also confirmed that he had released the allowances of the lawmakers and that the defected lawmakers had withdrawn their ‘purported’ impeachment.
