President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday waded into the political crisis rocking Rivers State, which is controlled by the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He had a meeting with the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara; and his predecessor, Barrister Nyesom Wike, who is a PDP member but serving in the All Progressives Congress-controlled government as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The President’s intervention was commended by the PDP Governors’ Forum, which called on all parties to sheathe their sword.
According to Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, who is the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, President Tinubu met with the two politicians at the Aso Villa, Abuja.
According to him, the President intervened in the political and security situation unfolding in Rivers State.
The meeting of the President with the two politicians followed the impeachment proceedings launched against Fubara by the state House of Assembly on Monday.
The governor is accused of acts of gross misconduct unbecoming of his office.
The Assembly complex was turned to a confusion theatre after fire gutted a section on Sunday night and the attendant drama that occurred on Monday morning with the removal of principal officers in the Assembly as gunshots rent the air.
Fubara had stormed the complex to see the level of the damage and alleged that he was shot at by the police, an allegation the police said was being probed.
According to the communique following their meeting on Tuesday evening at the Oyo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja to discuss the crisis in the oil-rich state and other national issues, the PDP Governors’ Forum said that “the PDP Governors were alarmed at the recent developments in Rivers State and welcome the intervention of Mr. President to bring the crises to an end.
“The meeting urged all parties to the Rivers State crises to sheath their sword and resort to peaceful means of resolution. The Forum further offers its platform for a quick and just containment of the issues involved”.
At a meeting with a delegation of South-South leaders in Abuja, Wike assured that the PDP would resolve the matter amicably.
Earlier, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had called for the parties to sheathe their sword and resolve the issue peacefully.
In a statement, the party’s spokesman. Barrister Debo Ologunagba said the PDP has “commenced processes, using the Party’s internal conflict resolution mechanisms to ensure that all matters and areas of disagreement are addressed.
“The NWC therefore charges all leaders, critical stakeholders, and members of our great Party in Rivers State to close ranks, unite, and focus on the onerous task of governance and delivery of dividends of democracy to the people,”.
