Peace may return to Rivers State following the decision of the two warring camps led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Chief Nyesom Wike to embrace the peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu.
The eight-point agreement titled: ‘Directives for the resolution of the political impasse in Rivers State’ was signed yesterday by the governor and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister at Aso Villa, Abuja, shortly after the president reconciled them.
According to the resolutions, House of Assembly Speaker Martins Amaewhule’s position was affirmed, and lawmakers are to drop the impeachment plan against the governor.
The two parties are to withdraw all court cases triggered by the crisis.
Other signatories to the pact include Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Speaker Amaewhule, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Aaron Chukwuemeka and All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Committee Chairman Chief Tony Okocha.
Also present at the meeting was former Governor Peter Odili, who has been pacifying the warring leaders.
It was the second time President Tinubu invited the two camps to Abuja for a truce. Last month, the two divides resumed their hostilities after the peace deal by the president broke down.
The House of Assembly complex was pulled down on the orders of the state government and a High Court sitting in Port-Harcourt, the state capital, recognised the former Majority Leader, Edison Ehie, as Speaker.
The governor presented his 2024 budget to the four members, who passed it the same day and the governor signed it 24 hours after.
The budget is to be re-presented to the Amaewhule-led House for consideration as part of the agreement.
Nine commissioners resigned from the State Executive Council, but the governor will resubmit their names to the House of Assembly for fresh screening as part of the agreement.
Other resolutions are: “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 TERMS
All matters in courts by Fubara and his team shall be withdrawn immediately
All impeachment proceedings should be dropped immediately
The House as led by Martin Amaewhule shall be recognised alongside the 27 members who resigned from the PDP
The remunerations and benefits of all members must be reinstated immediately and the Governor of Rivers State shall henceforth not interfere with the full funding of the Assembly
The Assembly shall choose where they want to sit and conduct their legislative business without interreference
Fubara shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted House
The names of all commissioners who resigned should be resubmitted to the House for approval
There should not be a caretaker committee for the LGAs.
