Rivers Elders’ Forum chieftain and former Commissioner for Works, Chief David Briggs, has accused President Bola Tinubu of imposing the resolution concerning the crisis in the state on Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Briggs, who revealed he attended the resolution meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said Governor Fubara signed the resolution under duress, after threats issued by the President.
On a parallel note, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, on Wednesday dismissed reports Fubara signed the document under duress, adding that the signature was the governor’s authentic signature.
Briggs, on Thursday maintained that Fubara signed the resolution under duress, adding that Tinubu only handed over “a script referred to as resolution” to Fubara to sign without his input.
“I was there, so what I say is primary, not secondary. We were invited to a meeting, but that was not a meeting. What happened was that Mr President walked in with a written resolution, addressed us and declared that what he had in his hand was a presidential proclamation, therefore, he could whip; and emphasised the fact that he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and anybody who tends to say no to what he was saying, it had consequences.
“That, in simple layman’s words, is a threat. He (Tinubu) wrote the resolution but refused to read it. He handed the resolution to Dr Peter Odili to read.
“Now let’s get it very clear. If you were in the position of the governor what would you do? Get up and go? Say no to Mr President with that kind of subtle but energetic threat?” he asked.
Briggs said most Rivers people present at the meeting, including former Attorney-General of the state, Adokiye Amiesimaka, were shocked by “the President’s undemocratic attitude” and decided to ask questions.
“One of us, specifically Amiesimaka, asked him, ‘Fubara should do this, he should do that. You (referring to the President) have not said what those 25 or 27 Assembly members who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress without consulting their constituency and constituents should do.
“The President’s reaction was very clear and simple: ‘I’m the leader of the APC in Nigeria. And you are telling me when babies are born into my family I should ask them to go?” Briggs added.
Briggs opined that there may be plans to make Fubara defect to the APC, but he commended the governor “for displaying maturity during the meeting.”
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