The political crisis in Rivers State may have come to an end as parties reached a resolution.
The talks, which lasted for about three hours at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, on Monday night, involved President Bola Tinubu, Rivers Governor Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy Mrs. Ngozi Odu, former governor of the State Peter Odili, and the immediate past governor now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesome Wike, along with other stakeholders.
Wike, who played a significant role in the emergence of Fubara and other elected officers in the last general elections, arrived at the State House at around 7 pm and was taken to the President’s office for the meeting.
The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, were also present at the meeting.
As per the eight-point resolution signed at the end of the meeting on Monday night, the President instructed that all lawsuits filed in court by Fubara and his team regarding the political crisis in Rivers State should be immediately withdrawn.
The resolution was signed by Fubara, his deputy Ordu, Wike, Ribadu, factional Speaker of the Rivers State Assembly Martin Amaewhule, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State Aaron Chukwuemeka, and the All Progressives Congress Chairman Tony Okocha.
According to the directive, Fubara is required to present the 2024 appropriation bill, which he had previously presented to the four-member state House of Assembly, to the full House.
Furthermore, the directive states that all impeachment proceedings initiated by the Rivers Assembly against Fubara should be dropped without delay.
The eight-point resolutions read: “All matters instituted in the courts by the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, and his team, in respect of the political crisis in Rivers State, shall be withdrawn immediately.
“All impeachment proceedings initiated against the Governor of Rivers State by the Rivers State House of Assembly should be dropped immediately
“The leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly as led by the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule shall be recognised alongside the 27 members who resigned from the PDP.
“The remunerations and benefits of all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and their staff must be reinstated immediately and the Governor of Rivers State shall henceforth not interfere with the full funding of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“The Rivers State House of Assembly shall choose where they want to sit and conduct their legislative business without interference and/or hindrance from the executive arm of government.
“The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly.
“The names of all commissioners in the Rivers State Executive Council who resigned their appointments because of the political crisis in the State should be resubmitted to the House of Assembly for approval
“There should not be a caretaker committee for the local governments in Rivers State. The dissolution of the Local Government administration is null and void and shall not be recognised.”
The political crisis in Rivers State snowballed into the demolition of the state House of Assembly complex, which was burnt earlier, even as security personnel reportedly barricaded the entrance.
