Fubara: ‘I Was Neither Consulted Nor Informed’ – Okpebholo Rejects South-South Govs Position On Emergency Rule

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has rejected the position of the South-South Governor’s Forum on President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

Naijaonpoint recalls that Tinubu had on Tuesday, 18 March, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State in a bid to resolve the political crisis between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and House of Assembly members.

The  South-South Governors Forum had rejected President Tinubu’s proclamation, asserting that the current political climate does not justify such an extreme measure.

However, Okpebholo, in a statement on Thursday through his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, dissociated himself from his South-South colleagues’ position, noting that he was not consulted by the other governors in the geopolitical zone before they took the decision.

Okpebholo said he supports actions taken by Tinubu towards bringing lasting solutions and peace to Rivers State and the South-South geopolitical zone.

The statement read, “The position by the Governors of the South-South, opposing the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, did not get the nod of Governor Okpebholo, as he was neither consulted nor informed.

“While Governor Monday Okpebholo acknowledges the right of other Governors in the South-South geopolitical zone to take a position, he, however dissociates himself from any statement that opposes the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, understands the issues at stake.”