The eight-point peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu in the Rivers State crisis has been rejected.
The deal was rejected by the Opobo Elder Statesmen4Sim.
The elders insisted that the agreement lacks legal grounding, hence, was not legitimate.
Rising from an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt, the kinsmen to Governor Siminalayi Fubara voiced several reasons for their outright rejection of the agreement.
The group in a communiqué by the Chairman, BoP of the group, Alabo Reuben Saturday-Jaja, Soide Jaja II, and Chairman, Alabo Cockeye Brown as well as members of the Executive Council insisted that Tinubu lacked the legal authority to meddle in the internal affairs of a state.
The elders emphasized that President Tinubu’s role primarily involves overseeing federal appointees and does not extend to dictating terms to a governor.
The elders argued that Tinubu’s agreement could not supersede court rulings, particularly those relating to legal proceedings such as impeachment or legislative matters.
They challenged the directive to withdraw court cases, highlighting the constitutional provision that mandates vacant seats for legislators who decamped without adhering to party division or merger protocols.
The statesmen subsequently vowed to fervently challenge any attempt to implement the agreement, noting that their stance underscored a firm commitment to upholding constitutional provisions and safeguarding the autonomy of state governance against external interference.
“We call on Mr. President to retract this purported agreement, as its execution risks plunging the state into a constitutional crisis. Should this request go unheeded, we are prepared to contest its constitutionality in a court of law as a necessary measure,” the elders declared.