Politics

NBA to Tinubu: Restore Fubara back to power immediately, constitution does not recognise an administrator

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has reiterated its call on President Bola Tinubu to restore Governor Siminalayi Fubara back to his elected position as Rivers State governor without further delay.

Last Tuesday, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and followed it up with the suspension of the elected governor of the state, his deputy and all the members of the House of Assembly over the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state.

The President appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired naval chief, as the state’s sole administrator. Immediately after the move, the NBA released a statement saying the President lacked such powers to suspend democratically elected officials. According to the NBA the removal of Fubara by Tinubu is unconstitutional.

Following up with its earlier statement, the NBA President, Afam Osigwe, insisted that Fubara must be brought back to his position as the governor of Rivers State as the constitution does not recognize a Sole Administrator.

“That is our belief, that is what we expect the president to do, to restore him (Fubara) back to power having unconstitutionally removed him,” Afam Osigwe told Channels Television, Sunday night, March 23 when asked if the president should recall the governor.”

“And that is why we do not recognise that a sole administrator is the rightful person to occupy the government house in Rivers State having been appointed unconstitutionally.

“Even when I saw him taking the oath of office, I was wondering which oath he was taking because he was taking an oath not known to the constitution, the constitution does not recognise an administrator,” he said.

Osigwe pointed out that the problem in Rivers State is being cured with a wrong solution, likening it to one using a sledgehammer on his head because of headache.

He said the measures being taken to address the Rivers problem “are overreaching, extensive, undemocratic and above all, unconstitutional.”

He maintained that the problem in Rivers State is political and only a political solution will bring it to an end.

“I do not believe that it (Section 305) is not explicit, I simply believe that we deliberately refuse to apply it the way it is,” Osigwe said

Osigwe also does not believe that the national assembly approval legitimized the President’s action saying the National Assembly’s approval is like placing something on nothing.

Politics

I commend Okowa, Oborevwori for defecting – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has lauded the immediate past governor of Delta, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, for expressing his support for President Bola Tinubu.

Wike gave the commendation in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media, Mr Lere Olayinka in Abuja on Wednesday.

Recall Okowa, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Vice Presidential candidate in the 2023 election on Wednesday, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okowa decamped alongside Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta and other PDP stalwarts in the state, collapsing the entire PDP structures in the state to the APC.

Wike described the development as another endorsement of the president’s good governance and commitment to the development of the country.

He called on other Nigerians, who were still sitting on the fence to throw in their support for Tinubu.

According to him, Okowa and Oborevwori open endorsement of Tinubu is a vindication of the position I took in 2023, which was based on the interest of a united Nigeria.

“I commend Okowa and Gov. Oborevwori for this heart-warming decision, which must have been informed by good governance and commitment of President Bola Tinubu to the oneness and development of Nigeria.

“That is what I have always told people to come out and say, not to be running up and down when they have problems.

“They have come out at the right time to show support for Mr President so that the people of Niger Delta can benefit more from the government, and I commend them for it.

“I am particularly happy that what I saw before the 2023 presidential election, others are now seeing and are joining the “Renewed Hope train,” the minister said.

Politics

Now that you have defected to APC, resign as Delta Gov-Bode George to Oborevwori:

Who owns Alpha Beta? Bode George questions Tinubu’s antecedents

Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has told Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State to resign from office.

He said since he (Oborevwori) defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, then he should resign because PDP gave him the platform when he contested, won and was sworn-in on May 29, 2023.

George said: “I am shell-shocked. How can our governors from an organised party defect to an unorganised party like APC with only two people – Tinubu and Ganduje – dictatorially controlling the party?

“APC is a party of strange bed-fellows and I urge Deltans not to follow Oborevwori to APC because Delta is a PDP state from 1999 and it shall remain so. Presidency and APC are using instruments of state to coerce PDP governors to defect to APC.

“PDP governors are being threatened. PDP sponsored Oborevwori as governorship candidate. So, he has to leave office. He should resign.

“Attempts to turn Nigeria to a one-party state will fail. What has APC done since 2015 that will warrant any PDP governor to defect to the party?”

Politics

Why I dumped PDP for APC – Delta Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori

Sheriff Oborevwori, Delta State Governor has revealed that his decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was driven by the shared goal of promoting unity, enhancing security, and advancing development in the state.

Oborevwori who made this known in a statement through the state’s commissioner for information, Charles Aniagwu, said the PDP in Delta has lost its flavour and can no longer serve the aspirations of its people.

Governor Oborevwori said the decision received unanimous backing from PDP leaders in Delta, as they reached the inevitable conclusion that leaving the party was the only way to ensure political stability.

The statement reads, “The decision was taken to build the bond of love that have existed in our state, to further advance the cause of security and welfare of our people, and to a very large extent, ensure that development in Delta; because every politics is local.

“And in taking that decision we came to the inevitable conclusion that moving out of the PDP is very very necessary for us to be able to collaborate with our kith and kin and build that state that every Deltan will be proud of.

“We believe that what is happening and the state of the PDP is akin to that palm wine whose taste has changed and there was a need for us to change the drinking pattern.

“And that is why this decision has been taken unanimously by leaders and stakeholders of the party.

“By the grace of God, Monday next week, we will be able to make a very big statement after the fact that we are moving into the APC.”