President Bola Tinubu allegedly intimidated Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and a former Governor of the state, Dr. Peter Odili into signing a peace accord over the political crisis in the state.
A member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Forum, David Briggs stated this while speaking with Arise TV.
He said the two leaders were bullied into signing the peace accord already prepared by the President before the meeting, which suggested a plan to intimidate them, as Tinubu threatened to deal with whoever had a counter opinion to the contents of the accord.
Osun Defender had on Monday reported that Tinubu met the leaders of the warring factions of Governor Fubara and former governor and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike at the Presidential Villa in a bid to settle the weeks-long conflict in the state.
Part of the resolutions was the withdrawal of all court cases against the 27 suspended members of the State House of Assembly who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), withdrawal of the impeachment notice served on the Rivers State Chief Executive by the 27 members whose seats have already been declared vacant, among others.
But, the former Commissioner and Elder in Rivers State said all of the questions of the stakeholders at the meeting were not provided answers to by the President but subtle insults and threats where issued in response, which Fubara had no option but to abide by.
“I was there, so I am a witness. What I say is primary, not secondary. We were invited for a meeting, but that was not a meeting because a meeting means opinions would be sought. There would be discussions between both parties, and discussions would be reached. But that was not what happened.
“What happened was that Mr. President walked in with a written resolution, addressed us and declared that what he has in his hands is a presidential proclamation, a presidential directive and at that point emphasised the fact that he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore, he can whip anybody who tends to say No to what he is saying, and that refuser to accede to his demands would have consequences. That is not democratic. That in a simple layman’s word is a threat.
“He wrote the resolution but refused to read the resolution and handed the resolution to Dr. Odili to read and interject. Each time he interjects, it comes with a subtle, polite, smiling insult, and thereafter, he asks the Governor to speak.
“Now, let’s get it clear, if you were in the position of the Governor, what will you do? Get up and Go? Say No to Mr. President with that kind of subtle but energetic threat. One of us asked a simple question – Adokiye Amaesimeka asked him that if you say Governor should do this, Governor should do that. You have not asked those 27 members who defected from PDP to APC without consulting their constituents what they should do and of course, you can see the President’s reaction, it was simple and clear but very very dangerous.
“It was a concrete intimidation. He said that and I quote him, ‘I am the leader of the APC in Nigeria and you are asking me that as the leader of the party, newborn babies are born into my family, I should ask them to go? No, I can’t. We have welcomed them.’ I want anybody who was there to contradict me,” Briggs stressed.
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
