Thousands of protesters, who gathered at the Government House in Port Harcourt, have vehemently rejected the peace deal offered by President Bola Tinubu, urging Governor Siminalayi Fubara to decline the agreement. The demonstrators, representing about 16 organizations, including the National President of Rivers State students, Comrade Abbey Precious Sime-Ipiri, and other prominent leaders, argued that the resolution was unconstitutional.
In a statement signed by the protest leaders, including the President of Ogoni Youth Federation, Dr. Legborsi Yamabana, and the Coordinator of the National Association of Nigerian students, Levi Okoru, the group expressed dissatisfaction with the agreement, likening it to surrendering the state’s collective autonomy to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike.
The protesters contended that the resolution lacked the signatures of key federal officials, including the President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Chief of Staff to the President, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Chief Justice of the Federation. They questioned the authenticity of the resolutions, emphasizing that no spokesperson of the President addressed the press on the purported agreements.
According to the protesters, the absence of these signatures raises doubts about the credibility of the peace deal. They alleged that Governor Wike and the Chief of Staff to Femi Gbajabiamila were colluding to undermine the constitution for their political ambitions.
The statement called on Rivers State residents and Niger Delta people across various states to prepare for potential protests at key locations, including Omagwa International airport, Port Harcourt, Onne oil and gas free zone, NLNG Bonny, Port Harcourt complex and facilities, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) complex and facilities, Nigeria Oil Agip Oil Company, Total Energies, Aba-Port Harcourt Express road, East West Road, Federal Secretariat, markets, waterways, among others.
As tensions escalate, the rejection of the peace deal highlights the deep-seated concerns among the protesters about the constitutional validity and the perceived political motivations behind the resolutions.
