₦airaland Forum

Matters arising

thesolutions:
That was the plan.

Rivers was doing exceedingly well without wikes state assembly. That was because the governor was an indigen and has something to prove.

The administrator on the other hand is making use of the opportunity. He won't mind to maximize it by using Rivers fund to settle the national assembly for prolonged stay.

If Fubara is reinstated, chances of him being impeached is close to certainty.

The losers will always be the state assembly unless this arrangement settles them behind closed doors to keep the governor out of office.

Nigeria in general doesn't need the national assembly. They have allotted some funny powers and status to themselves making them act like a class of elite to the extent that they have the slogan, "once a senator, always a senator" making them senators for life. Bunch of morons.

But this letter will sound like music in the ears of the pretenders in power who are actually playing games and are anticipating this sort of reactions from the people.

Everything was part of the plan. Simulation.

At least they know we are watching...!!!

slimfit1:
The fact that he appointed a military to take over shows we need a military takeover plus this democracy is too expensive.

The Rivers State Sole administrator is a retired military officer that can be subjected to public scrutiny because he is occupying the office under special appointment

PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY


6th April, 2025
His Excellency,
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
Aso Rock Presidential Villa,
FCT, Abuja,
Nigeria.

And
The Distinguished Senator,
President of the Senate,
Senator Godswill Akpabio,
National Assembly Complex,
Three Arms Zone,
FCT, Abuja,
Nigeria.

Your Excellencies,
URGENT CALL FOR INTERVENTION:
RIVERS STATE SOLE ADMINISTRATOR’S NON-COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS DURING EMERGENCY RULE IN RIVERS STATE

We, the undersigned citizens and representatives of civil society in Rivers State, write to express our deep concern over the conduct of the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, during the ongoing state of emergency. Despite the clear resolutions of the National Assembly aimed at restoring governance and resolving the crisis, the administrator has failed to adhere to these directives.

Our concerns are as follows:

1. Non-Compliance with Oversight Role: The administrator has not demonstrated accountability to the National Assembly as required, including providing reports and seeking approval for actions taken during this period.

2. Neglecting Reconciliation Efforts: The National Peace and Reconciliation Committee, endorsed by the National Assembly, has not been effectively implemented. The administrator has made no visible effort to bring together the warring factions or address the root causes of the conflict.

3. Failure to Act on Political Accountability: Suspended members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who played significant roles in the crisis, remain unengaged in reconciliation efforts. Instead, they are reportedly vacationing abroad while the state continues to suffer.

4. Misplaced Priorities: The administrator has focused on inspecting ongoing infrastructure projects that are unrelated to the immediate needs of the emergency period. This diversion of attention has delayed critical actions required to resolve the crisis.

5. Disregard for Emergency Needs: Instead of preparing a temporary budget tailored to the emergency period, the administrator is working on a long-term state budget. This has left urgent needs—such as paying workers’ salaries, maintaining healthcare services, and ensuring proper environmental sanitation—unaddressed.

6. Prolonging the Crisis: The lack of adherence to the National Assembly’s directives has delayed the restoration of democratic governance in Rivers State, leaving the people in continued hardship and without grassroots representation.

Our Appeal:

In light of these failures, we respectfully urge Your Excellencies to:

1. Conduct an immediate review of the administrator’s performance in line with the National Assembly’s resolutions.
2. Direct the administrator to comply with the mandates, including submitting oversight reports and focusing on reconciliation efforts
3. Ensure the preparation of a temporary budget that prioritizes payment of workers’ salaries, healthcare, and sanitation needs, as specified in the resolutions
4. Hold the suspended political actors accountable for their roles in the crisis and compel them to participate in resolution efforts.
5. Replace the administrator if it becomes evident that he is unable or unwilling to fulfill the resolutions of the National Assembly effectively


The people of Rivers State urgently need leadership that prioritizes their welfare and adheres to the directives of the National Assembly. We trust in your intervention to restore order, accountability, and good governance in our state.

Thank you for your attention.

Maybe they should just scrap the Federal and States HC along with the Court of Appeal and just allow only the SC rule on matters.

A group will petition the NJC over age falsification against the CJ of Rivers State,
NJC will commence investigation

CJ will be suspended to allow for investigation
Sole Administrator will appoint an Acting CJ from Wike's handpicked choice

After six months, suspension is lifted and

Who will

[quote author=buttlover post=134603620]Following the State of affairs emergency declared, how is it going to be here. Should one start planning for relocation. Will everything be Normal as before. I'm curious as my rent will expire in one month time. Any need to renew it?[/quote]

Don't renew your rent.
I repeat, do not renew your rent.

Tell your landlord to give you six months quit notice and see if he won't declare a state of emergency on your apartment.

On a serious note, bro nothing go happen, just go about your normal business

yarimo:
Jubilations and celebrations all over rivers state as residents well comes state of emergency

Oga face your front. You can't be in Ibadan and be seeing nonsense in Rivers

Tune in for a state broadcast tomorrow morning by the new Rivers Sole Administrator issuing warnings.

Ban on protest of all kinds
Ban on public gathering
Ban on all forms of Political gathering etc

Welcome to Rivers State...!!!

...

Kh36:
Here's my take:

I strongly believe that Governor Fubara's impeachment is inevitable. Despite claims that it's impossible without the Chief Judge's involvement, I think the law is clear: a governor can be impeached without the Chief Judge's participation, according to Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria [1]. The State House of Assembly has the power to investigate allegations and impeach the governor with a two-thirds majority vote.

Personally, I think Fubara's actions have been reckless, and his challenge to Wike's influence has sealed his fate. With Wike regaining his voice and making noise, it's clear that Fubara's camp is on shaky ground. The petition by the House to the DSS against the Chief Judge for age falsification is just another indication that Fubara's time is running out.

In my opinion, Fubara's fate is all but sealed. I predict that the Chief Judge's potential arrest and detention by the DSS, followed by the House of Assembly's investigation and impeachment, will be the final nail in the coffin. And if Fubara tries to cause violence or disrupt the peace, I have no doubt he'll be arrested immediately. Tinubu's influence will likely come into play, and Fubara's chances of survival are slim to none.

As someone who's watched Nigerian politics closely, I can attest that alliances are fleeting, and loyalty is a luxury few can afford. Fubara's situation is a perfect example of this. In my view, it's only a matter of time before he's impeached.

Gov. Fayose was illegally impeached in 2006. The SC nullified the so-called impeachment.
Ask why the SC nullified the impeachment...


It said that the impeachment panel was illegal and so the outcome of the impeachment was a nullity, adding that the illegal Ekiti Acting Chief Judge who presided over the impeachment panel had been dismissed.

What will become the fate of RSHA if they proceed with any impeachment process without the State CJ setting up a panel and giving Gov. Sim Fubara and his deputy a chance to defend themselves?

Your answer is as good as mine.

A nullity

zero8zero:
Was the RSG a party in the first place?. The injunction is no longer valid. Simple

An injunction has a time lapse. A perpetual injunction doesn't.

zero8zero:
You're the one that can't understand. Why did Odili's lawyers file an appeal at the SC to nullify the Appeal Court order?. The case here is about vacating the perpetual injunction, the main case has not even started.

You're the one who doesn't understand what happened. First off, was Odili a party in the case? It was the RSG alongside the RSHA who filed an appeal against a COA's decision. The FHA sitting in Port Harcourt restrained the EFCC perpetually and that decision of the FHC was not appealed by the EFCC within the stipulated time allowed for appeal.

SC only asked them to return to the COA. Matter is still on.

Journalist and their wrong news headlines

The same Assembly members that gave the Governor a 48hours ultimatum to present the budget. Were they also expecting a reply from the governor after issuing ultimatum? The ultimatum meant they were in a hurry to receive the budget, the governor only expedited the process for them by not waiting for a reply.


Modified

Picture this scenario:
Gov. Fubara gets to the Assembly quarters, Speaker Amaewhule along with his colleagues steps out to receive him and after a brief chat, they agree on a more appropriate date for presentation of the budget. The RSHA gets applauded for the show of maturity. Rivers State wins.

Tranquill:
He already lost from day one because he started an unnecessary fight too soon against people (not only Wike) that made him governor.

He became very desperate, dishonest and even stupid.

Tinubu was just trying to help him with a soft landing which he accepted but later was advised by those claiming to be his supporters to jettison.

I still want them to resolve the issue without him being impeached but he’s such a stupid person that is easily manipulated by people.

Are you aware the 27 lawmaker retracked and denied they never decamped?
That was where Gov. Fubara would have dealt them a blow.

Tinubu wanted to also help the lawmakers that was why he asked the governor to stay the matter of their defection then.

Fubara lost the fight the day he succumbed to President Tinubu so called peace path. He got stabbed in the chest and hasn't been able to recover since then.

A nice move from the House of Assembly. At least they didn't ask for the 2024 budget which had been the genesis of the problem. Fubara should take them by surprise on Wednesday morning with the budget for presentation, they will not be prepared to receive him and the presentation would be deferred indefinitely so he would have enough reason to defend himself when the time comes

SendoSendal:
This is a critical analysis of the ongoing political debacle in Rivers State.

1. When the substantive suit of the defection of the law makers eventually gets to the Supreme Court, it will be discarded. The burden of proof is always a tough nut to Crack. APC has denied having the membership of the lawmakers. Once the transfer of their membership cannot be established, every other factor is an academic exercise. Forget about the public display of APC flag and all those rhetorics. Once their records cannot be confirmed in the membership register of APC at ward level, the whole legal gymnastics become mere academic exercises.

The burden of proof is always difficult to work out. Despite all the public outcry about Tinubu's drug case, fake certificates e.t.c, the petitioners could not execute the burden of proof and the cases were thrown out like piece of sheet at the Supreme Court. That is exactly what will happen in the case of the defection of the 27 law makers, except anyone just want to deceive himself or make themselves happy.

2. Fubara should be ready to trade-off. He got to the seat as a product of political tradeoffs. You can't have everything. People and negotiations were involved in the process that made him Governor. He can't discard them and want to enjoy the spoils of war alone. Its treachery. Let's not pretend to be idealists. We all know how the political ecosystem works in Nigeria. its a give and take system. Some people gave something, for him to take the governorship seat.

3. After few days of grandstanding, Fubara will mellow down and do exactly what the Supreme Court has ordered. He does not have any choice. He will have to work with the State House of Assembly. He needs them, as much as they need him.

4. If he refuses, the House of Assembly can impeach him. The Chief Judge of the state won't be able to do anything to help him. Disobeying Supreme Court judgment is an established ground for impeachment anywhere in the world. If his friend, the Chief Judge, set a 7-Man Panel, and they deem Fubara innocent, they will be clashing against the pronouncement of the Supreme Court. The Chief Judge will not desire to put his entire career and life-service on the line to serve Fubara's interest. When the chips are down, the Chief Judge will save his own head first

5. There is no way out of this for Governor Fubara. He just have to obey the judgment of the Supreme Court

6. I just hope he is getting the right advise. He shouldn't allow himself to be mislead. If he goes down, he would go down alone

So you believe the affidavit sworn by Martins and Co are not enough proof of their defection?


Look the SC ruling especially on the LGA elections in Rivers is questionable. The crisis currently in Osun State LGA has the same undertone. A FHC ruled against an LGA elections conducted by the previous governor, the COA overruled it saying the FHC lacks jurisdiction to entertain such matters. In Rivers, a FHC ruled against the LGA elections, the COA overruled in favour of the state government saying Electoral laws of INEC does not have anything to do with state independent Electoral commissions and such the FHC lacks the jurisdiction. With the SC ruling giving credence to the FHC ruling, it therefore means that the FHC posses such jurisdiction therefore Osun State Government was right in conducting the last weeks LGA elections in Osun State

Advice Gov. Fubara to address the state via a state broadcast and reassure Rivers peoples of his stamina after the supreme Court judgments against him


I was and still a very strong supporter of Gov Fubara. He didn't lose at the SC, he only got scolded or reprimanded by the learned judges who felt his pride was making him act above the law. It's time to drop the pride. Swallow it and do the needful. Drop your guards and allow peace to reign. He should immediately recognize Martin's as Speaker and ask for an appropriate date to represent the 2025 budget before them. All appointees of government ect

Fubara can appoint all of them as CTC chairmen pending when another LGA elections are conducted by RSIEC

blacknp:
How can any rightfully minded person post such jargon?

U should be ashamed of yourself, nonsense copy & paste.

We understand your frustration man, but we can't help you....!!

blacknp:
Nonsense, absolutely nonsense, why the haste to post such nonsense?

Why the haste to post a reply?

In a significant legal miscalculation, the lawyers representing the defected 27 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly inadvertently led their clients to forfeit a crucial opportunity to solidify their status as the authentic members and speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

This unfortunate turn of events unfolded during a critical session at the Supreme Court, where the governor's legal team had sought to withdraw only a portion of the appeal concerning the re-presentation of the 2024 budget as it had become an academic exercise since the lifespan of the 2024 had expired.

The appeal at the Supreme Court contained several matters, but the legal counsel for the 27 lawmakers, in a misguided move, urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the entire appeal rather than selectively addressing the budget-related issue.

This strategy proved detrimental, as it effectively left the Supreme Court with no option but to dismiss the entire case without making any specific order(s) as touching the meat of the case.


Had the lawyers opted for a more strategic approach, the Supreme Court could have dismissed the appeal concerning the representation of the 2024 budget while allowing the other matters to be heard. This course of action would have opened the door for the court to affirm the legitimacy of the 27 lawmakers, potentially validating their positions and declaring them as the authentic members and speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.


The misstep of the legal counsel have not only cost the lawmakers a vital opportunity but have also ...

Mightyodi:
Op do you know the process of impeaching a governor at all. You think it as easy as typing write ups on nairaland. Explain how it will happen. Do you know the attorney general of Rivers state must concur to notice of impeaching from the legislative wing for the process to sail through. And currently, the state chief judge was appointed by Gov Fubara. How will impeachment work exactly. Except you are writing out of ignorance.
Have you read chapter 6 part 2 section section 188. You think it is a simple process abi

I guess you meant to say the Chief Judge of the State and not the Attorney General.

Its the CJ and not the Attorney General

All these governors are leaders of the PDP in their various state except Rivers