Mr David Briggs, a former commissioner for Water Resources in Rivers State, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu forced the governor of the State, Siminalayi Fubara into signing the peace deal with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike at the presidential villa on Monday.
According to Briggs, Fubara signed the resolution document under duress following alleged indirect threats issued by the President.
Recall that President Tinubu held a meeting with Fubara and Mr Nyesom Wike, and other aggrieved stakeholders in order to address the political face-off drifting the State into chaos.
In an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Briggs said Fubara was coerced into signing the resolution document without his input.
He stated, “I was there, so what I say is primary not secondary. We were invited for a meeting, but that was not a meeting. What happened is that Mr President walked in with a written resolution, addressed us and declared that what he had in his hand is a presidential proclamation, therefore he can whip.
“He emphasised the fact that he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and anybody who tends to say no to what he is saying, it has consequences. That in a simple lay man’s word 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 will you do? Get up and go? Say no to Mr President with that kind of subtle but energetic threat?”
The former commissioner also said some of the political stakeholders from Rivers State during the meeting including former Attorney-General of the State and Justice Commissioner, Adokiye Amiesimaka, were surprised by Tinubu’s undemocratic disposition and decided to ask questions.
He said one of them, specifically Amiesimaka asked Tinubu, “Fubara should do this, he should do that. You (referring to the President) have not said what those 25 or 27 Assembly members that defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress without consulting their constituency and constituents what they 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.”
“I’m thinking that the governor should have by now joined the APC; then there will be no impeachment. “What Tinubu did and I can say it was establish his own party interest while arbitrating of peace in Rivers State.”
“And of course you can see the situation, the President’s reaction was very clear and simple, but very dangerous. Realising that back home you are fighting an internal aggression and division, if you are in his (Fubara’s) position, will you want to attract another external fight? The answer is no.
“So, you see that our governor is very intelligent, very humble but very intelligent. Not just intelligent but committed to the value of governance.
“He (Tinubu) gave that order and asked them to sign. And the governor simply made the statement. The statement itself is full of wisdom. That of the President is also full of wisdom because he was operating within the space provided for him by his advisers.”