The political conflict between Fubara and his predecessor has become a serious concern as both parties raise the political temperature in Rivers State.
This conflict led to the burning and subsequent demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly, following the defection of 27 assemblymen from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a bid to quell the crisis, President Tinubu held a meeting with Fubara, Wike and political stakeholders from Rivers State in Abuja.
At the end of the meeting, the governor and his predecessor agreed to settle their differences after signing a document containing an eight-point resolution.
However, since Fubara attended the meeting and signed the agreement, some PDP members and stakeholders in Rivers State have been urging the governor to ignore the peace pact and focus on governance.
Pulse Nigeria
But during a statewide address on Monday, December 25, 2023, Fubara vowed to implement the peace agreement, saying it is not as bad as his supporters portray it.
In his speech, Fubara said the peace deal was not a death sentence, adding that the pact was a ploy aimed at ensuring lasting peace and stability in Rivers State.
The governor also thanked President Tinubu for his intervention, saying the move demonstrated the President’s love for the people of his state.
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Reacting to the governor’s defense of the deal, Deputy National Youth Secretary, Timothy Osadolor, said the issue the governor has involved himself in is bigger than him and the President.
In an interview with ThePunch, Osadolor urged Fubara to know his limits, adding that this matter is a constitutional question.
He said: “The question of seats of defected MPs which are now vacant is a clear constitutional question, which does not depend on the wishes and discretion of President Tinubu or any other person. It is a question of ‘a clear constitutional question.
“Besides, the PDP constitutionally holds the votes, so I don’t see how Governor Fubara can tell the PDP that because he met the President at Aso Rock, the PDP should not mind his votes. Right now the PDP is in court, the votes belong to the PDP, not Fubara or Villa.
“What falls within the jurisdiction of the governor is to pay the salaries and allowances of MPs until the date their seats become vacant. I am sure the governor knows his limits.”
Another member of the PDP National Executive Council and former national secretary of the party, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri, said Fubara’s decision to implement the peace pact will not be in the interest of the PDP.
He thinks the governor will be in trouble whether he implements the deal or not.
“As a complete gentleman, he went there and signed the agreement, even without the consent of the party. So, the implementation will be done by him and not by the party. But certainly, it will not be in the interest of the party.
“The PDP will not allow it to be lured into this trap, but it has failed to consult the party. If it implements it, it is in trouble, if it does not, it is in trouble .Implementing the deal is like jumping into pending issues. And if he doesn’t implement it, he’s going to get into the federal government’s issues. So anyway, that’s the difficulty for him,” he said.
Further, in a statement issued on Monday, the former National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, argued that the peace agreement initiated by the President gave an unconstitutional advantage to the APC.