….Calls On Tinubu To Rein In AGF
Mobolaji Michael
COALITION of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described the statement by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Fagbemi’s bombing allegations against Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara as “outrageous, baseless hatchet job to shield Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike from blames.”
Following Tuesday’s suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu and Rivers Assembly members by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Prince Fagbemi, on Wednesday alleged that Sir Fubara, teleguided militants to blow up pipelines in the state.
Prince Fagbemi made the accusation while defending President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency.
Reacting, the opposition coalition in a statement by High Chief Peter Ameh and Comrade Mark Adebayo, said it’s shameful to see an Attorney General of the nation being biased and shielding the obvious culprit in this crisis.
The coalition flayed the assertion by the AGF saying that he didn’t blame Wike over supporters’ involvement in local government area hqrs bombing but turned around to accuse Governor Fubara of an offence he never committed.
CUPP, therefore, called on President Tinubu to call his AGF to order, reiterating its decision to seek legal action to quash this latest assault on Nigeria’s constitutional democracy that has great implications for the survival of democratic governance in Nigeria.
CUPP said, “The AGF, Fagbemi’s decision to declare Wike innocent and indict a governor who is at the receiving end of pro-Wike proactive actions is shameful discretion of the office of the AGF. Where was the AGF when Wike supporters and former local government chairmen forcefully went to take over the council which led to the burning and bombing of the council secretariats, why did the Fagbemi not include Wike in the blame, why did the AGF not condemn it?
“Where was the AGF when Wike supporters went on a protest during which one of the protesters carrying a bomb mistakenly denoted it which cut off his hands? What did the AGF say and why did he not mention it? When the House of Assembly refused to receive the budget, what did he say?
“Soon after the peace meeting was held with Mr President, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, provoked the air, through a media chat, where he abused and threatened individuals, communities, and ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta. Central to that abuse and tribal denigration were the Ijaw Nation and PANDEF.
“Beyond that, the minister went on to make several unprintable comments on individuals, including our revered late Chief Edwin Clark and several others. If there is any culprit who has inflamed the political atmosphere to push it to this level, it is Chief Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory.
“Let it be known by all Nigerians, there are three parties in this matter: Governor Siminialayi Fubara, the Rivers State House of Assembly members, and Chief Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the FCT.
“It was well circulated on electronic and social media that the explosions experienced in Gokana and Onelga had earlier been predicted by Chief Wike on his media chat. He was quoted as saying: – ‘What nonsense is that? Who told you Ogoni people cannot break pipelines? Who told you Ikwerre people cannot blow up pipelines? Who told you Ekpeye people cannot blow up pipelines?”
“The above statements were set up and designed to create tension and disharmony; to create a perceived state of anarchy, and to make the President declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
“It is on record that Governor Siminialayi Fubara made genuine efforts to present the budget as directed within the specified period. He wrote to the House through his SSG, but it was rejected. He went to the House of Assembly himself, only to be locked out by the lawmakers. Following this development, the governor formally notified the Assembly of his intention to present the budget on 19 March 2025, or any other date convenient to the House within that month.
“Despite all these efforts, the lawmakers failed to respond. Instead, they adjourned plenary indefinitely, and resumed on Monday, only to serve an impeachment notice on the governor and deputy governor. These actions were clearly intended to prevent the governor from presenting the budget, as directed by the Supreme Court, and to provide a pretext for the President to impose a state of emergency as he has done now on Rivers State.
“We call on President Tinubu to call his AGF to order, and we are also reiterating our decision to seek legal action to quash this latest assault on Nigeria’s Constitutional democracy that has great implications for the survival of democratic governance in Nigeria.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media