The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and prominent stakeholders have stepped into the escalating political stalemate in Rivers State, aiming to defuse tensions surrounding fresh impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The crisis, rooted in a feud between the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, has prompted urgent calls for dialogue and restraint.
Lawmakers Appeal for Restraint Amid Impeachment Moves
Two members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have publicly urged their colleagues to seek an amicable resolution instead of pursuing the impeachment of Governor Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu. The lawmakers, Sylvanus Nwankwo of Omuma State Constituency and Minority Leader Peter Abbey of Degema, made the appeal during a press conference in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Nwankwo acknowledged that the assembly had issued a notice of impeachment but stated that interventions from elders and leaders within and outside the state necessitated a reconsideration. "We are appealing to the conscience of our colleagues," he said, emphasizing that dialogue and political wisdom should prevail over confrontation.
Corroborating this, Abbey revealed that they had received numerous calls from political leaders nationwide, urging caution. "We believe that once you raise the axe, you should not swing it immediately," Abbey stated, adding that any peaceful settlement would require cooperation from the governor to avoid further constitutional breaches.
PANDEF Calls for Sacrifice and Forgiveness
In a significant move, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) Reconciliation Committee has called on all parties in the crisis to embrace forgiveness. The committee's chairman, Kanu Godwin Agabi (SAN), a former Attorney-General of the Federation, described the prolonged conflict as detrimental to the state and nation.
"Rivers State is too important to Nigeria for anyone to stand by and do nothing," Agabi warned. He used the parable of the clam and the oyster to illustrate the dangers of unresolved conflict, urging Wike, Fubara, and other stakeholders to make necessary sacrifices.
Agabi expressed confidence in the capacity for reconciliation, noting that the parties were once united. "If they have offended one another, they must be humble enough to apologise and generous enough to forgive. True greatness lies in forgiveness," he asserted.
Economic and Stability Concerns Mount
The political instability has raised alarms beyond the political sphere. The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) warned that the impeachment proceedings threaten the peaceful resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.
MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke stated that Nigeria risks losing over $30 million daily from a potential production of 500,000 barrels of oil if the crisis scares away investors. He described the impeachment move as a direct assault on President Tinubu's mediation efforts and an action that could embarrass the country internationally.
Meanwhile, it was clarified that contrary to earlier reports, none of the key actors in the crisis has met with President Bola Tinubu over the matter. Sources indicate the President is expected to intervene only as a last resort, treating the issue as a political problem requiring a political solution.
The concerted efforts by the APC, lawmakers, and groups like PANDEF underscore the critical need to safeguard stability and governance in the oil-rich state, as all parties are urged to choose the path of peace.
