“My burden wasn’t the issue of all the drama. It is the
millions of Rivers people who had made sacrifices, who are seeing opportunity,
and it looks as if their hopes are being dashed.
“They were the ones I was worried about. What would be their
fate? That was my trouble. It is not about me.”
The Rivers governor further stated, “If leaving this
position is what I need or what is needed to bring more peace in this state, I
can even tell the people to come and take it. It is not about me. People should
understand that definitely I’m here, I will go, but Rivers State will still
remain.
“I am the governor. No matter what it is, there are things I
could have done and there would have been a total crisis, but the ability to
restrain in the face of crisis when you have the power to do things is
maturity.”
Recall that Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom
Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been
at loggerheads over the control of power in the state.
In the wake of the crisis in the state House of Assembly,
the political rift between Wike and Fubara split lawmakers in the House, with
27 of them decamping from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC), a party in whose central government Wike currently
serves as minister.
The feud also saw the emergence of parallel sittings, an
impeachment plot against the governor, the demolition of the Assembly complex,
and a gale of resignations of pro-Wike commissioners in Fubara’s cabinet.
The President and some elder statesmen had intervened in the
crisis earlier in October, but it degenerated into a full-blown fight.
But, after some weeks of crisis in the state, the political
gladiators in Rivers reached a truce on Monday after a meeting with President
Bola Tinubu at the Aso Villa in Abuja.
The meeting had Fubara, Wike, the ex-Rivers governor, Peter
Odili; and some traditional rulers from the state in attendance.
Vice President Kashim Shettima; and the Chief of Staff to
the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, were also part of the meeting.
However, after a series of meetings, the warring parties
agreed that all matters instituted in the courts by Fubara, and his team, be
withdrawn immediately.
Fubara, Wike, Amaewhule and other parties in the crisis
signed the agreement. The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, also signed
the document.
The Wike camp also agreed that all impeachment proceedings
initiated against the governor by the Rivers State House of Assembly be dropped
immediately
The parties in the feud resolved to recognise the leadership
of Martin Amaewhule in the Rivers State House of Assembly and not that of
Edison Ehie.
The two camps agreed to recognise Amaewhule and his 26
allies who recently resigned from the PDP to the APC.
