.Federal lawmakers lead youths in solidarity walk for Fubara

The political crisis that hit the Rivers State has continued unabated as the wave of resignation among the State Executive Council members has continued.

In addition to the initial six commissioners that tendered their resignation letters last Thursday, the Commissioner for Housing, Gift Worlu, and his Transportation counterpart, Javobson Ibima, resigned from Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s cabinet yesterday.

The development has left the Rivers State Executive Council with only 10 commissioners out of the 18 members that made up the council before the crisis erupted.

In his resignation letter, Worlu cited personal reasons that required immediate attention, while Ibima said his decision was apt at the moment.

There were also unconfirmed reports that the Chief of Staff, Chidi Amadi, has also resigned

Other commissioners who have resigned from the cabinet are the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchacus Adangor; Commisioners for Works, Alabo George Kelly; Special Duties, Emeka Woke; Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Inime Aguma; Finance, Isaac Kamalu and Education, Chidnedum Mnom.

Citing reasons for his resignation, Kelly said he left the cabinet because his conscience would not allow him to continue in office, while Aguma said she has other commitments to attend to. Mnom also cited personal reasons.

Meanwhile, a group of elders and youths in the state yesterday matched the streets of Port Harcourt in solidarity with Fubara and to receive some federal lawmakers who expressed their support for the governor.

Some of the groups wore T-shirts with inscriptions like, ‘Liberation, We Stand for Sim’, ‘Walk for Sim’, among others.

The federal lawmakers, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, member representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency and Boma GoodHead, Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency, walked from UTC junction with youths to the Government House gate, Port Harcourt

The lawmakers said they were in the state to encourage the governor and to let their constituents know their position in the political crisis in the state.
They also called for the arrest of Wike for allegedly instigating crisis in the state.

Abiante said: “We are not protesters. I am a member of the House of Representatives, representing the Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro federal constituency; the constituency where our governor comes from; my colleague represents Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru federal constituency. We are here to show solidarity. There have been some happenings in the state; we are here to encourage the governor and to tell Rivers people that this is the position of their representatives and offer explanations where necessary and also engage with our constituents to understand if there is any shift in the position that they have taken.”

GoodHead also stated: “We want to send a clear message to the Federal Government of Nigeria; we are here to send a message to President Bola Tinubu to call Wike to order, because the next time he comes into Rivers State to disturb the peaceful people of the state we will not sit down and fold our hands anymore.
Please instruct the security agencies to arrest the former governor of the state.”

Meanwhile, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the state in the 2023 elections, Beatrice Itubo, has called on the political gladiators to sheath their swords and allow peace to reign.

She made the call while addressing newsmen during her visit to the state governor, saying the visit was her little effort to intervene in the political turmoil.

She, however, urged the former governor to act like the father of the state.

She said: “It is no longer news that I visited the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara a few days ago. That visit was part of my sincere intervention from the governor’s end on the political turbulence in our dear state.

“The mere fact that I contested the governorship of the state against him is not enough reason for me to fold my arms doing nothing when I see my dear state on the verge of destruction out of resolvable issues.
“This state is our collective heritage. We must therefore not allow this unnecessary tension and fear to continue to mount in our dear state because as it is raging now, investors, business owners are beginning to move away from our state to safer places. Holiday seekers are no longer coming into our state; the hotels are empty, other businesses are beginning to feel the impact of the trouble that is going on and if we, as neutral persons, do not reach out to these gladiators and their fans now, a time will come when we will no longer be safe going out of our houses because of fear of being caught in the hostilities.
“May I as a mother and stakeholder in the governance of this state appeal to the immediate past governor of the state, Nysom Wike, to as a matter of urgency and as a father, immediately leave whatever grievances he may have against the governor. The governor too should on his part caution his fans to stop all comments on and off social media that may tend to further exacerbate the already tense situation in the state.
“The governor should engage more mediators and peacemakers to help quell the situation and we must all understand that we do not have another state aside from Rivers State and the interest of Rivers State should supersede every other interest all of us have.”

Similarly, a former governor, Rufus Ada-Geroge, has assured that former chief executives of the state would intervene in the crisis rocking the state.

Rivers has been enmeshed in political crisis since October 29, this year, following a rift between Fubara and his political godfather, Wike.