Juxtaposing Pres. Tinubu’s broadcast with Gov. Fubara’s reaction to unravel who is lying?
During the Broadcast by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declaring State of Emergency in Rivers state on Tuesday 18 March 2025, he gave some reasons to justify his action.
But many Nigerians say the reasons are not satisfactorily, accusing the President of bias.
In this piece, Metronetworknews place side by side the President’s speech and the governor’s reaction after the speech to unravel who is sincere.
Excerpts
Pres.Tinubu: I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis.
Gov.Fubara: Immediately after Mr. President’s intervention to broker peace, we did not hesitate to implement the agreed terms in good faith, including welcoming back commissioners who had previously resigned on their own volition.
Pres.Tinubu: On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms: “a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”
The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected “are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”.
The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.
Both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.
Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.
Gov. Fubara: We moved swiftly to comply with the Supreme Court’s judgement immediately we received the certified true copy of the judgement to return the state to normalcy.
These steps were taken not for personal gains but to foster peace, unity and stability in our dear State.
Unfortunately, at every turn, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly frustrated our efforts, thus making genuine peace and progress difficult.
Pres.Tinubu: Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.
The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them.
Gov. Fubara: Our priorities remained the security of lives and property and advancing the well-being and prosperity of Rivers people.
Yes, we have political disagreements, but good governance had continued, salaries have been paid, and great projects were being executed to move the State forward. Above all, Rivers State is safe, secure and peaceful under our watch.
