In a resolute stance against perceived political manipulation, Rivers State elders and leaders have penned open letters expressing strong disapproval of a resolution proposed at a meeting between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and President Bola Tinubu in Abuja. The elders, led by former Rivers State governor Chief Rufus Ada-George, characterize the resolution as a “death sentence,” alleging its skewed favoritism towards Fubara’s estranged political mentor, ex-governor Nyesom Wike.
Delivered in two separate open letters dated December 24, 2023, and addressed to President Tinubu and Governor Fubara, the elders convened in Port Harcourt on Wednesday to articulate their concerns before the media. The letters, signed by prominent figures including Chief Rufus Ada-George, Dr. Gabriel Toby, and Senator Bennett Birabi, contend that the resolution is lopsided and challenges the rule of law.
Expressing their custodial role as guardians of the Rivers people’s conscience, the elders criticize the directive’s imbalance, asserting, “we find the directive resolution document lopsided and skewed in favor of the interests of your current minister, Nyesom Wike, to the detriment of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the governance of the state, and the generality of the good people of Rivers State.”
The elders vehemently argue that President Tinubu lacks the authority to override a court’s decision and question Governor Fubara’s commitment to implementing the resolution, highlighting the breach of constitutional and legal rights.
In the open letters, they challenge the legitimacy of the Christmas Day broadcast by Fubara, where he expressed his intention to implement the resolution. The elders question the president’s power to overrule a court ruling and emphasize the importance of the separation of powers, citing the declared vacancies of cross-carpeting members by the Speaker of the House.
Concluding their letters, the elders commend Governor Fubara for his humility, as displayed in his Christmas Day address to the people of the state. Despite their appreciation for his demeanor, the elders stand firm in their rejection of the proposed resolution, asserting that it goes against the constitution and the rule of law.
