The Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has condemned the actions of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, as “provocative” after they barred Governor Siminalayi Fubara from accessing the complex to present the 2025 budget.
Reacting to the action of the lawmakers on Wednesday, a chieftain of PANDEF, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe exclusively told Vanguard on telephone that denying the Governor access to the Assembly Complex was not an insult to Siminalayi Fubara as a person, but to the people of Rivers state in general.
“The Governor was elected by millions of Rivers people. As the chief executive officer of the state, he has unhindered access to all the facilities within the state. Blocking him from entering the complex is a direct insult and embarrassment to the people of Rivers state.
“It is now very clear that the Governor is ready for peace. But these people are not ready for peace. You can see that by their action. How can you bar a sitting Governor from gaining access to a facility that belongs to the state as a chief executive officer of that the Governor continues to tow the path of peace despite the insult and provocation. I appeal that he implements all the decisions stipulated by the Supreme Court judgment, even though, I did not agree with some of those decisions. Let him implement them. The Rivers people are watching. The world is watching”, he said.
Sara-Igbe noted that Governor Fubara has always wanted peace. That was why on the advice of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he withdrew the case he had against these lawmakers last year even when they refused to withdraw theirs.
On the comment by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike that Fubara can be “impeached and heaven will not fall”, the PANDEF chieftain reminded that pouring insults on the Ijaw people will not help the former Governor and the current political situation in the state.
“He should remember that during the time of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the production rate of crude dropped drastically from 2.4million barrels per day to a paltry 700,000bpd until the elders of the Ijaw nation and the Niger Delta pleaded with the various militant groups including the Avengers, movement for the emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND among others to stay action.
“The nation’s economy today is at a sad point. We don’t want anything to happen to the crude oil production. The Minister should be mindful of his utterances. While we plead for all parties in the crisis to follow the path of peace, we all should also mind what we say per time”, he said.
