Ex-Rivers Commissioner Rejects Tinubu’s Peace Deal, Says Peace Requires Fairness and Equity
Former Rivers State Commissioner for Employment and Empowerment, Leloonu Nwibubasa, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s meeting in Abuja, where the suspended Governor, Sim Fubara, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and suspended members of the State House of Assembly were said to have agreed to resolve their political differences.
During an interview with Arise Television, Nwibubasa criticized Fubara for attending the meeting alone, without a balanced delegation, despite the fact that all stakeholders supported Wike.
He added that Fubara went to Abuja as an individual rather than as a representative of Rivers State’s collective interests, arguing that a more balanced delegation would be preferable.
According to Nwibubasa, true peace requires addressing the core concerns of political control and economic management in the state.
He added, “You can’t talk about peace unless you’re talking about equity. You cannot talk about peace without first discussing fairness. If he represented Rivers State’s desires, a more balanced delegation would have resulted in submission rather than reconciliation.
“Sustainable and lasting peace cannot be achieved until there is equality and fairness. This entire conflict has always been about forcing a man to satisfy the desires of a single individual.”
Nwibubasa warned that if the meeting’s resolution simply returns the state to the political status quo, with Wike maintaining de facto power, meaningful change in Rivers State will be difficult.
He stated, “If all that is in the reconciliation is for everyone to go back and bow before the same man, then we have returned to the status quo…” And that cannot lead to peace.
“Rivers State will not make progress until we have a leader who possesses the will to be different, the courage to dare, and not the timidity to maintain the status quo.”
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According to Nwibubasa, the existing system may only provide a short-term gain in the form of lifting the unofficial state of emergency.
He regretted that Governor Fubara’s early effort to defend the state’s resources seemed to have failed, and that the entire problem has always had a 2027 undercurrent.
He stated, “The same gladiators are going to return…” and continue to make Rivers State the cow that they would milk for their own purposes.”
“If he is unable to succeed at this point, it simply indicates that he has failed and we will return to the status quo. Everything the FCT minister is doing today is to impress Mr. President and indicate he has something to offer in 2027.”
