Rivers Crisis: Tinubu Wades in, PDP Govs Meet, Welcome President’s Intervention
President Bola Tinubu has stepped into the political situation in Rivers State.
The President, on Tuesday, met with the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara; and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Tinubu met with the two politicians at the Aso Villa in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State disclosed this after the Nigeria Police Council meeting held at the Villa today.
According to him, the President intervened in the political and security situation unfolding in Rivers State.
The meeting of the President with the two politicians who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) followed the impeachment proceedings launched against Fubara by the Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday.
The governor is accused of acts of gross misconduct unbecoming of his office.
The Assembly Complex was turned to a confusion theatre after fire gutted a section on Sunday night and the attendant drama that occurred on Monday morning with the removal of principal officers in the Assembly as gunshots rent the air.
Fubara had stormed the Complex on Monday to see the level of the damage and alleged that he was shot at by the police, an allegation the police said was being probed.
Rivers Crisis: PDP Govs Meet, Welcome Tinubu’s Intervention
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has welcomed the intervention of President Bola Tinubu into the Rivers State crisis, calling on all parties to sheathe their sword.
This was contained in a communique issued by the governors on Tuesday evening after they met at the Oyo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja to discuss the crisis in the oil-rich state and other national issues.
“The PDP Governors were alarmed at the recent developments in Rivers State and welcome the intervention of Mr. President to bring the crises to an end,” the communique signed by the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Bauchi State Bala Mohammed added.
“The meeting urged all parties to the Rivers State crises to sheath their sword and resort to peaceful means of resolution. The Forum further offers its platform for a quick and just containment of the issues involved.”
Tuesday’s meeting came in the wake of the crisis in the oil-rich state where there was an attempt to impeach Governor Sim Fubara.
A factional speaker has since emerged in the Rivers State House of Assembly and the leader of the House also removed Edison Ehie after he was accused of masterminding the fire incident at the Assembly complex late Sunday.
Tinubu Wades In
President Tinubu had waded into the crisis, convening a meeting with Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Wike in a meeting with a delegation of South-South leaders in Abuja on the same day also assured that the PDP will resolve the matter amicably.
Earlier, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party called for the parties to sheathe their sword and resolve the issue peacefully.
The PDP spokesman Debo Ologunagba in a statement said the party has “commenced processes, using the Party’s internal conflict resolution mechanisms to ensure that all matters and areas of disagreement are addressed”.
“The NWC therefore charges all leaders, critical stakeholders, and members of our great Party in Rivers State to close ranks, unite, and focus on the onerous task of governance and delivery of dividends of democracy to the people,” he added.
