Scores of residents, including students, youths, civil society organizations, and members of the Hausa community, gathered at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt, to protest against President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the ongoing political crisis in the state.
The demonstration, which also expressed solidarity with Governor Siminilayi Fubara, began early in the morning, with protesters erecting canopies at the Government House entrance.
The protest follows a meeting between Governor Fubara, President Tinubu, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, and other stakeholders, aiming to resolve the political crisis. The agreement reached included dropping all impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara initiated by the State House of Assembly and reinstating the remunerations and benefits of assembly members and staff.
Other resolutions included withdrawing all court matters instituted by Governor Fubara, ensuring non-interference in the funding of the State Assembly, recognizing the leadership of the Rivers Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule and the 27 members who resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Assembly was also granted the freedom to choose its meeting location without interference from the Executive arm of government. The protest reflects dissatisfaction with the outcomes of the meeting and opposition to external interventions in the state’s political affairs.
The 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.”
