Anabs Sara-Igbe is a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State and the National Coordinator of the South-South Elders Forum. In this interview, he discusses the state’s return to democratic governance, the importance of peace to the populace, and the actions that the governor and assembly members should do to maintain it. The senior statesman also discusses, among other things, the actions of Ibok-Ete Ibas, the state’s sole administrator, during his six months there, including how he squandered the Rivers people’s resources. Joy Anigogu provides the following excerpts:
How are things going in Rivers State now that the governor’s suspension has been lifted and the state has formally returned to democratic governance?
As you can see, Rivers residents are ecstatic to see their governor because everything has stopped since he went. Sim Fubara is the Mr. Project if we’re speaking of him. He is working on projects all around the state. However, everything has stopped for the last six months, and we have no idea what Ibok-Ete Ibas has done with our funds. We want our governor to come and continue the fantastic work he is doing, but we don’t know how he spent his money.
I found out that Martin Amaewhule’s House of Assembly met on Thursday and requested that the governor come and deliver the budget.
I’ll tell the assembly not to be antagonistic. All of them returned just now. We think that both sides have learned their lessons, and that peace and harmony are what the people of Rivers desire. We don’t require hostility. The governor has the executive responsibility of selecting his commissioners and presenting them before the House of Assembly at the proper time. It is impossible to stamp him as doing that. The governor has just returned to his position. Before he knows which team to work with, he needs to calm himself and take a look at the books and his surroundings. Compromises were made and agreements were reached. We must next evaluate them to determine which one to put into practice. However, I think the governor is prepared to carry out the commitments made and will be able to advance Rivers State. Additionally, Rivers residents think that the Sim Fubara faction and the Nyesom Wike faction are both interested in the growth of Rivers State. Therefore, we should all consider the Rivers State development to be sacred. But without peace, we can’t have that. That’s not something we can get in rancour. Since the House of Assembly is his friend, the governor need to come and call them. Whatever occurred has already passed. The governor should be viewed as both their buddy and the governor by the House of Assembly. And they ought to put the past behind them and see whether all sides can cooperate for the good of the state. The days of the past are over. These are the times of harmony and cooperation. Because no one was able to speak up when a stranger arrived to raid our resources six months ago, we must work together to ensure that we bring growth to the state. According to Section 114 of the National Constitution, which forbade the National Assembly from passing legislation that would overthrow elected governors, we are aware that the state of emergency was unconstitutional. However, even Section 305 did not ensure that the president would act in the manner that he did. However, that is all in the past. How the state would proceed is what Rivers State needs right now. We now have democratic governance, just like every other state. We therefore implore everyone involved to make sure that there is cooperation, understanding, and trust between them and to allow them to act in the best interests of the state that elected them.
The Labour Party is demanding that the six-month emergency rule in Rivers State be looked at right away. What are your thoughts on this Labour Party statement?
That’s what they think, anyway. They are entitled to their own opinions. The fact that Nigeria has institutions capable of looking into corruption, however, is crucial. We have the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Additionally, the State House of Assembly has the authority to look into state corruption. Investigating the lone administrator or anyone else implicated is not the governor’s responsibility. When the EFCC conducts its operations, the judiciary is supposed to provide interpretation. Therefore, we in Rivers State do not see what he accomplished or how he used our funds. He used Rivers’ money for six months, but there was no obvious project to which he could refer. Therefore, the EFCC and the ICPC will have to investigate the true nature of the incident. To ensure peace and serenity in Rivers State, we would encourage the governor to build bridges. He should also focus on his developmental goals and build more roads, schools, hospitals, and health centers while making sure that salaries are paid. The Rivers people want to empower those involved in small-scale business and other endeavors. This is what Rivers State is interested in. We have the EFCC, ICPC, and National Assembly to look into what has happened to the state, and we don’t want the governor to do it himself because they put us in this mess knowing full well that they don’t have the authority to make laws to remove an elected governor under section 114. The inhabitants of Rivers don’t care. We consider that to be a thing of the past. We wish to proceed. We need the governor to come down and make sure that development spreads throughout the entire state like it once did since we have been robbed of it.
One of the lasting lessons of this season, according to Ibas, is that rivalry without communication obviously jeopardizes democracy, and the unbridled use of power can destroy institutions. Do you believe that lessons have been learned as events unfold?
Since the state that elected them has been suffering for the last six months, we think that both parties have learned their lessons. Rivers State was trouble-free. Prior to the declaration of the state of emergency, Rivers State posed no security danger. Section 305 is intended to address the crises that have occurred in the Plateau, Benue, and the northern regions of Zamfara and Borno. There was peace. Additionally, Ibas attested to the tranquility in Rivers State, which persisted till his departure. The people of Rivers State are quite quiet, and there are no problems there. We must maintain this tranquility. Our governor should come and advance the state, which is what we are worried about now. We are glad he has arrived because, as you can see, everyone is celebrating and pleased that the unlawful institution has been waived. He should build bridges, in our opinion. We want him to connect with everyone. When they forgive, the rest should follow suit. Let’s unite as a family and strive for the state’s advancement. That, I believe, is what all Rivers men and women are interested in.
President Tinubu is dedicated to peace, according to the FCT Minister, and the faith of the River people has been restored by the president’s intervention. Do you think that Rivers State will follow the FCT minister’s advice?
We are not here to offer commentary on the opinions of others. The minister’s background as a former governor and Rivers State native is significant. Rivers State is also the father of the current governor. They should both return and collaborate. I seem to remember calling for peace during the town hall meeting and asking Wike to summon his godson, the governor, into the room so they could lock themselves up and settle this. The people of Rivers are pleased that Wike has fulfilled our request and expectations today. That peace process is what we want to continue. We want that conversation to go on. We wish to maintain that harmony. The inhabitants of Rivers are interested in that. Any tale about what one person says and what another doesn’t say doesn’t interest us. Since our governor has returned, we are worried that he will be able to carry out his duties without any obstacles. We are worried about that. We also think that Rivers State and the Rivers people will benefit from any negotiations they have.
With just four members supporting the governor, a PDP member, and 27 members of the house who are now APC members, which direction do you think governance will go?
You just informed me that the members of the assembly are now APC. They claimed not to be APC in front of the Supreme Court. They are still members of the PDP. We are now told that we don’t wish to get into such details. At this point, it makes little difference if they are the correct person or the wrong person. Our current stage is one of reconciliation and peacebuilding. We are in a mutual understanding stage. Our current situation is a guide to how to advance the state. Within six months, we had been regressed for almost four or five years. In order to compete with other states, how can we overcome this backwardness? We are currently enjoying democracy in a sense, but we want it to last in a peaceful and communicative manner. Nothing cannot be resolved through communication. Nothing is beyond the reach of peace. Therefore, for the sake of the state, both sides should pursue discussion and peacebuilding.
According to some attorneys, the sole administrator ought to have disbanded the cabinet prior to his departure, and Fubara ought to fire the commissioners he selected. Should he do it, in your opinion?
No commissioner was appointed by the single administrator. He appointed public secretaries, chairman of local governments, and other officials. They are employees of the government. And everyone thought that the governor would confer with all parties involved to make sure that every choice he made was just and beneficial to all. When he arrives, he will be able to dissolve his current cabinet and install a new one that will benefit all of the issues.
However, there are still outstanding concerns, like as the case in which 11 PDP governors asked the Supreme Court to rule that the state of emergency was unlawful and that the appointment of a single administrator was unlawful. The legal matter is still pending. It hasn’t been settled…
Does Nigeria have a court? Let’s be honest with ourselves, you see. We don’t care what occurs as far as we are concerned. The judiciary does not exist. The legislature does not exist. Each of these is a presidential appendix. Everyone is aware of this. The law, as it were, is not being followed by us. It is their responsibility to interpret the law in accordance with it. However, we’re not witnessing that today. Therefore, let’s consider them to be an extension of the presidency. Nothing pertaining to the National Assembly or the Supreme Court interests the Rivers people. Rivers State’s quiet and harmony are important to us. The governor returning to continue his growth stride is something we are interested in. The governor collaborating closely with Nyesom Wike and the assembly members is something we are interested in. The state will be moving forward, and we would like the governor to come and cooperate with everyone. We are interested in that. The PDP governors have every right to go to court, but Nigeria has no courts as the country’s judiciary has completely let its citizens down. As of right now, Nigeria has no judiciary unless they show themselves correct. Therefore, we have no interest in the judiciary. No court is of interest to us. Therefore, we are engaged in finding a peaceful state and promoting peace. As of right now, that is what interests us.
Regarding the National Assembly’s role in granting the president the authority to proclaim a state of emergency in Rivers State, what are your thoughts?
I will begin by examining section 11-4, which gives the National Assembly the authority to enact legislation for the state in the absence of the House of Assembly. Furthermore, the statute states in the final paragraph that although while they have the authority to enact laws, they are not allowed to do so in order to remove an elected governor or deputy governor from office. Additionally, Section 305 is quite explicit. The National Assembly is not authorized by Section 305 to enact legislation that would remove the governor or deputy governor. However, as I already stated, the judiciary has turned its back on us and the Rivers people have been whipped. Everyone opposes us. However, I must congratulate Nigerians for speaking up against this injustice in large numbers. This is unfair to the residents of Rivers. I’m grateful to the attorneys. I express my gratitude to those reputable Nigerians who have been able to claim that the law has been weakened. Furthermore, this law has not been interpreted by the Supreme Court, which is tasked with doing so. Thus, the Supreme Court has been forgotten. The judiciary is no longer a concern. The National Assembly has slipped our mind. We are aware that this assembly will just be a rubber stamp assembly if it goes forward. They have demonstrated that they are essentially the president’s rubber stamp extension. Therefore, they don’t disturb us in the least. The Rivers people are extinct. We want the governor to do what he does best in order to wipe away our tears. Therefore, in the best interests of Rivers State, we are recommending that the governor and all parties involved embrace peace and cooperate. Since we have witnessed the perversion of justice, we have no interest in anything else that occurs in the state or the nation. Therefore, all you have to do is operate inside your framework of peace when justice is twisted. As a result, we are praying for calm while working. In order for our conscience to be at peace after this, we want the handiwork of Christ to step in and allow us, as Christians, to embrace peace and act morally toward both God and humanity.
How do you explain a scenario where a godfather demands fealty rather than leadership, gratitude, progress, or the well-being of the populace? What are the immediate and long-term effects on our democracy?
We’re not here to pass judgment on anyone right now, as I mentioned. Compromise is now required in Rivers State. We’re trying to forgive ourselves. We have seen it negatively. Therefore, we don’t make comments about anyone. Peace is all we need right now. Rivers State will experience peace and harmony as a result of what I have to say. We are forgiving each other regardless of what has transpired. And I believe that we are now focusing on bringing about the peace process that will advance the state.
How do you respond to those who claim that Fubara has been overthrown by the type of peace that was reached so he might regain power?
Rivers residents have not been briefed by Fubara. Therefore, we are unsure of the extent of their conversations. We are unable to predict their conversation until he has briefed Rivers’ staff. However, the fact that Fubara is the governor of Rivers State is what matters most now. Additionally, he has certain constitutional obligations to the state and its citizens as the governor of Rivers State. Therefore, those obligations are outlined in the constitution, with the exception that the judiciary will overrule them. If not, he remains the state’s governor. But there could be, or there can be compromise in the cause of peace. He isn’t a limp dog because of it. You could leave some and get some if he wants peace. You cannot always be win-win. We thus anticipate that he will make contact with everyone and ensure that we reunite as a single entity. Rivers State aspires to become one. No one should be condemned. We don’t want to give anyone any credit. We do not want an outsider to come and wash our resources again, though, therefore we want to make sure that everyone has learnt their lessons.
