From Joshua Chibuzom
The political impasse in Rivers state was Monday resolved following an intervention by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
All the warring factions were at the Presidential Villa in Abuja for a meeting summoned by the president.
The crisis took a worst turn when the state government demolished the State House of Assembly on the ground that it wanted to rebuild the ‘weak’ structure.
Also, while the crisis lasted, Governor Siminilayi Fubara presented his 2024 Appropriation Bill to a four-man legislature and got same approved.
But the 27 lawmakers described the exercise as an illegality which cannot stand in whatever form.
At the meeting, it was resolved that all matters instituted in courts by Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state and his team in respect of the political crisis in state, should be withdrawn immediately.
The meeting also resolved that all impeachment proceedings initiated against the governor by the Rivers state House of Assembly should be dropped.
Other resolutions read: “The leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly as led by the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule shall be recognized 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 recognized.”
The resolution was jointly signed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Mr Nuhu Ribadu, Governor Fubara, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike; Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Odu, Speaker Rivers State House of Assembly Martin Amaewhule, chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state, Chief A. Chukwuemeka and his All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Tony Okocha.
