Kinsmen of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike’s deputy, Siminalayi Fubara, have rejected President Bola Tinubu’s attempt at resolving the ongoing political crisis in the state, accusing him of exceeding his authority and undermining democratic principles.
The kinsmen who are under the banner of “Opobo Elder Statesmen 4 Sim,” rejected the resolutions reached during a recent meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
In a communique issued after an emergency meeting held in Port Harcourt on Friday, the elders said that the Nigerian Constitution grants the President no power to interfere in the internal affairs of a state. The communique signed by Chairman Alabo Reuben Mietamuno Saturday-Jaja and other executive council members stated that the president’s role is to oversee federal appointees, not dictate terms to duly elected governors.
Further slamming Tinubu’s overreach, the group asserted that presidential agreements cannot override court rulings, particularly those concerning sensitive matters like impeachment or legislative disputes. They challenged the directive to withdraw ongoing court cases, arguing that the constitution mandates the automatic vacancy of seats for legislators who defect without following party division or merger protocols.
The communique also questioned the legitimacy of the defectors who are under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, saying that only the members of the Edison Ehie-led House of Assembly are the rightful representatives of the people.
The development follows the escalation in the Rivers State political crisis, which is allegedly due to a struggle in the control of the state’s political structure between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
