By Fawaz Adebisi
A meeting convened by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, has brought an end to the political crisis in Rivers State that lasted for several weeks.
The meeting, which was held on Monday night, according to a post by Lauretta Onochie, an ex-chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, had in attendance Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his predecessor Nyesom Wike, former governor Peter Odili, and other key stakeholders in the state.
A resolution signed by the participants, shared by Onochie, revealed that the President ordered the governor and his allies to withdraw all court cases related to the crisis, and the state House of Assembly to stop all impeachment moves against the governor.
The resolution also affirmed the recognition of the House leadership led by Martin Amaewhule and the 27 members who defected from the PDP.
It further stipulated that the governor should not interfere with the funding and functioning of the House, and that the House should choose a suitable venue for its legislative activities, given the dilapidated state of the Assembly building.
The resolution also mandated the governor to re-present the 2024 budget to the House, and to resubmit the names of the commissioners who quit their posts due to the crisis for approval.
Also, the resolution declared the dissolution of the local government councils as illegal, and ordered the restoration of the elected chairmen and councillors.
The feud between Fubara and Wike started shortly after Fubara became the governor of Rivers State in 2023, succeeding Wike who had been his mentor and supporter.
The two leaders fell out over political and personal differences, such as Fubara’s alleged ingratitude, Wike’s interference in state affairs, Fubara’s revival of projects initiated by his predecessor’s rival, Amaechi, and Wike’s ambition to run for president in 2027.
The feud escalated into a political crisis in late October 2023, when some lawmakers loyal to Wike attempted to impeach Fubara, accusing him of gross misconduct and abuse of power.
The impeachment plot was foiled by Fubara’s supporters, who allegedly bombed a section of the assembly complex to prevent the lawmakers from sitting.
The crisis also divided the state along ethnic lines, as Fubara and Wike belong to different ethnic groups.
