December 19, (THEWILL) – Elder statesman and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, says the 8-point resolution reached in Abuja, on Monday, to resolve the political crisis in Rivers State is not only appalling but also unacceptable, particularly to the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
THEWILL reports that the 8-point resolution was the outcome of a meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu and attended by the Governor and other Rivers stakeholders at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday night.
According to the resolutions:
1. ALL matters instituted in the courts by the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, and his team, in respect of the political crisis in Rivers State, shall be withdrawn IMMEDIATELY
2. ALL impeachment proceedings initiated against the Governor of Rivers State by the Rivers State House of Assembly should be dropped immediately
3. The leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly as led by the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule shall be recognised alongside the 27 members who resigned from the PDP.
4. 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
5. 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.
6. The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Fubara, shall re-present the state budget to a properly constituted Rivers State House of Assembly.
7. 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.
8. 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.
Speaking on Tuesday, at a press briefing in his residence in Abuja, Clark said the eight-point resolution is undemocratic, dictatorial, one-sided and aimed at handing over the political leadership of Rivers State to former governor of the state and Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
According to him, from the terms of the purported settlement, it is obvious that President Tinubu used his role as a mediator to, once again, show gratitude to the FCT Minister for “delivering” Rivers to him during the last presidential elections.
He observed that Tinubu had previously gratified Wike by making him the Minister of the FCT.
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