Rivers Crisis: Coalition Denounces Judicial Meddling, Calls For Adherence To Tinubu’s Peace Accord

Rivers Crisis: Coalition Denounces Judicial Meddling, Calls For Adherence To Tinubu’s Peace Accord

The Coalition of Minority and Ethnic Groups in Nigeria has urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to uphold the principles of the peace agreement initiated by President Bola Tinubu in the interest of maintaining peace and unity…..CONTINUE READING

Naija News reports that the Peace Accord was established in response to the political crisis in Rivers State and the resulting tension.

Dan Okwa, the leader of the group, voiced his concerns during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, stating that the judiciary was allegedly being manipulated to undermine the current Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and tarnish the reputation of his presumed supporters.

Okwa criticized the purported plan to prosecute Edison Ehie, the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and current Chief of Staff to the Governor, for arson, deeming it “inconsistent with the spirit of peace.”

“We strongly believe that the peace agreement must not be perceived as one-sided. Our assertion in this regard arises from the recent development in which the judiciary is being used to undermine the State Governor.

“Our Coalition is therefore calling on the Federal Government and its agencies to, in the spirit of the Peace Accord, withdraw all the charges against Edison Ehie and all other Fubara’s loyalists.

“Since Governor Fubara has gone out of his way to give juicy appointments to loyalists of the FCT minister, those who are in the Governor’s camp should not be treated differently. Hounding them with the judiciary or federal institutions will only cause fresh provocations that make a mockery of the efforts that President Tinubu has put into restoring peace to that part of the country.

“It will be most disrespectful to repay Mr President with such behavior when he has shown the way in how to give peace a chance. Our Coalition consequently frowns at attempts to use the judiciary or agencies of the Federal government to witch-hunt officials of the Rivers State Government.

“We appeal to Governor Fubara and his camp to continue to abide by the terms of the accord in the belief that the Wike’s camp will come around. The country cannot afford a meltdown in Rivers State now and at any other time,” Okwa stated.