The twenty-six out of the twenty-seven members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who initially filed an impeachment notice against Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State have withdrawn their notice.
The lawmakers, who are former Governor Nyesom Wike’s allies announced their decision to withdraw the impeachment notice as a gesture of respect following a reconciliation meeting convened by President Bola Tinubu on Monday between the feuding parties.
The 26 legislators convened at the House of Assembly Complex on Wednesday morning to formalise the withdrawal, marking a significant shift in the ongoing political upheaval in Rivers State.
Recall that Wike and Fubara reached a truce after weeks of crisis between the governor and his predecessor. The resolution was mediated by President Bola Tinubu as well as the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu on Monday.
Part of the resolution is that the lawmakers will no longer seek the impeachment of the governor.
Subsequently, the 26 lawmakers, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the height of the crisis, have withdrawn their impeachment notice against the governor.
Tensions in the state have been attributed to a power struggle between Governor Fubara and Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, resulting in a series of conflicts and disagreements.
Wike, the former governor, claimed that Fubara was attempting to sabotage him and reduce his influence in the state.
His loyalists in the house of assembly also defected from PDP to APC as a show of solidarity to the Minister of FCT.
Meanwhile, the governor presented and approved the state budget to give lawmakers in the state last week.
To resolve the dispute, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu consulted with the warring factions, enlisting the support of former state governor Dr. Peter Odili.
A truce was brokered at the Aso Villa in Abuja.
According to reports, it was agreed that all matters instituted in the courts by the warring parties should be withdrawn immediately.
It was agreed by all parties especially the Wike’s camp that all impeachment proceedings initiated against the governor by the Rivers State House of Assembly be dropped immediately.
The parties In the feud agreed to recognize the leadership of Martin Amaewhule in the Rivers State House of Assembly and not that of Edison Ehie. The 2 camps agreed to recognize Amaewhule and his 26 allies who decamped from the PDP to the APC.
Other resolutions include “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 recognised.”
