‘Our Money Unaccounted For’ – Sara-Igbe Questions Ibas’ Handling of Funds

A leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Anabs Sara-Igbe serves as the South-South Elders Forum’s national coordinator. He discusses the restoration of democratic governance in the state, the importance of peace to the populace, and the actions that the governor and assembly members should do to maintain it in this interview. Among other things, the elder statesman discusses the actions of the state’s lone administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, and how he has squandered the Rivers people’s resources in his six months there. The following are extracts from Joy Anibogu:

What is the current situation in Rivers State, and how do the people feel now that the governor’s suspension has been lifted, with the state officially returning to democratic rule?

Since he left, everything has stopped, so you can see how happy the people of Rivers are to see their governor. Sim Fubara is Mr. Project, if we are speaking of that character. His efforts span the entire state. We don’t know what Ibok-Ete Ibas has done with our money, though, and everything has stopped for the last six months. All we know is that we want our governor to come and begin the fantastic work he is doing, even though we don’t know how he spent his money.

I found out that the governor was invited to join the House of Assembly, which was chaired by Martin Amaewhule, on Thursday to deliver the budget.

I shall counsel the gathering to avoid hostility. They all returned just now. The people of Rivers desire peace and tranquility, and we think that all parties have learned their lessons. Antagonism is not necessary. Selecting his commissioners and presenting them before the House of Assembly at the proper time are the governor’s executive responsibilities. You can’t stamp him as doing that. The governor has recently returned to office. He must take a seat, study the texts, and take in his surroundings before he can decide which team to join. Both concessions and agreements were reached. At that point, we must evaluate them and decide which to implement. However, I think the governor will be able to grow Rivers State and is prepared to carry out the commitments made. Additionally, the people of Rivers State think that the Sim Fubara faction and the Nyesom Wike side are both interested in the state’s progress. Therefore, the progress of Rivers State ought to be sacred to all of us. But without peace, that is impossible. We are unable to obtain that in rancour. Since they are his buddies, the governor ought to visit and summon the House of Assembly. What has occurred has occurred and vanished. The governor should be viewed by the House of Assembly as both their buddy and their own. After burying the ashes, they ought to see if all sides can cooperate for the good of the state. That is the end of that age. Together with peace, this is the time for cooperation. In the last six months, when a stranger came to raid our resources, no one was able to speak up, so we must work together to ensure that we deliver progress for the state. We are aware that the state of emergency violated Section 114 of the National Constitution, which forbade the National Assembly from enacting legislation that would overthrow elected governors. Nevertheless, the president’s actions were not guaranteed by Section 305 either. That’s history, though. Right now, Rivers State needs to figure out how to proceed. Now, we are just like every other state with democratic governance. As a result, we urge everyone involved to make sure that there is mutual understanding, teamwork, and trust among them and to allow them to work for the state that elected them.

The Labour Party is demanding that Rivers State’s six-month emergency rule be looked into right away. How do you interpret this Labour Party statement?

That’s their view, anyway. They are entitled to the viewpoint. However, Nigeria’s ability to have institutions capable of looking into corruption is crucial. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are two of our agencies. Investigating corruption in the state is another authority granted to the State House of Assembly. The governor has no obligation to look into the case of the only administrator or anyone else involved. The judiciary is responsible for providing interpretations during the EFCC’s operations. In Rivers State, we therefore do not see what he accomplished or how he used our funds. Therefore, he spent Rivers’ money in six months on no obvious purpose to which he could point. It is up to the ICPC and the EFCC to investigate the true nature of the incident. We would encourage the governor to construct bridges, provide peace and quiet in Rivers State, let him to focus on his developmental goals, construct more roads, schools, hospitals, and health facilities, and make sure that salaries are paid. Empowering those involved in small-scale business and other endeavors is what the Rivers people want. Rivers State is interested in this. Because they put us in this mess knowing full well that they have no legal authority to make laws to remove an elected governor under section 114, we have the EFCC, ICPC, and National Assembly to investigate what has happened to the state. We don’t want the governor to do it himself. The Rivers folks don’t care. For us, that is a thing of the past. We’d want to proceed. growth has been denied to us, and now we need the governor to step in and ensure that growth spreads throughout the entire state as it once did.

In his handover, Ibas stated that one of the season’s lasting lessons is that unbridled power may destroy institutions, and that unbridled rivalry blatantly threatens democracy. As things unfold, do you believe that the lessons have been learned?

After six months of suffering in the state where they were elected, we think both parties have learnt their lessons. In Rivers State there was no issue. Before the state of emergency was proclaimed, Rivers State posed no security danger. Section 305 is intended for situations like the Plateau, Benue, and the northern regions of Zamfara and Borno, where crises have occurred. The calm had arrived. Ibas further affirmed that Rivers State was peaceful, and that it remained thus till he left. We must maintain the peace since there are no issues in Rivers State and the people there are quite tranquil. Our governor’s arrival and ability to advance the state is what we are worried about today. As you can see, everyone is celebrating and delighted that the unlawful institution has been lifted, therefore we’re glad he’s here. We’d like him to construct bridges. He should connect with everyone, we hope. The others should follow suit when they have forgiven. Let us unite as a family and strive for the advancement of the state. All Rivers men and women, I believe, have that in mind.

The FCT Minister stated that River people’s trust has been restored by the president’s intervention and that President Tinubu is dedicated to promoting peace. In your opinion, does the FCT minister’s argument have any merit in Rivers State?

We’re not here to offer commentary on what other people say. The fact that the minister is a native of Rivers State and a former governor is significant. The current governor is a Rivers State native as well. They ought to both return and cooperate. I seem to remember that during the town hall meeting, I called for peace and requested Wike to invite the governor, his godson, into the chamber so they could shut themselves up and settle. The Rivers people are pleased today because Wike has fulfilled our request and our expectations. That peace process should go forward. We want to keep having that conversation. We wish for that harmony to endure. The Rivers people are interested in that. We don’t care about any narrative about what one individual says or doesn’t say. Our governor’s return and his ability to carry out his duties without interference are our main concerns today. That is what we are worried about. Additionally, we think that any negotiations they have will benefit Rivers State and its citizens.

With the governor, a PDP member, 27 members of the house who are now APC members, and only four members on his side, which direction do you think governance will go?

You recently informed me that the assembly members are now APC. They declared that they are not APC before the Supreme Court. They have not decamped and are PDP. We’ve been told that we don’t want to get into those details. Right or wrong, it doesn’t matter who is right or wrong at this point. We are at a stage of reconciliation and peacebuilding. We are in a stage of mutual understanding. Our current status provides the basis for the state’s progress. We have regressed for almost four or five years in just six months. How can we overcome this backwardness in order to compete with other states? We want democracy to continue in a peaceful and open manner, but for now, we are enjoying democracy as it is. Nothing can’t be resolved through conversation. Nothing is impossible for peace to bring. Thus, all sides ought to pursue conversation and peacebuilding in order to advance the state’s interests.

The sole administrator should have dissolved the cabinet prior to his departure, according to several attorneys, and Fubara should fire the commissioners he selected. Do you believe he ought to do that?

The only administrator failed to name a commissioner. He appointed heads of local governments, public secretaries, and so forth. These are employees of the government. It was also widely accepted that the governor would confer with all parties involved to make sure that all decisions were equitable and in everyone’s best interests. He will therefore be able to dissolve his previous cabinet and install a new one that will serve the interests of all the concerns when he arrives.

Unresolved concerns remain, however, such as the situation of the 11 PDP governors who are requesting that the Supreme Court rule that the state of emergency was unlawful and that the appointment of a single administrator was unlawful. Court is presently considering that matter. Hasn’t it been settled?

In Nigeria, do we have a court? Well, let’s be honest with ourselves. As far as we are concerned, it makes no difference what occurs. There is no court system. There isn’t a legislature. They are all presidential appendices. Therefore, everyone is aware of this. We are not, in a sense, abiding by the law. They are expected to interpret the law in accordance with it. However, that’s not what we’re witnessing now. Thus, we should consider them as an extension of the presidency. Neither the National Assembly nor the Supreme Court pique the interest of the Rivers people. Peace and calm in Rivers State are important to us. We would like to see the governor return to continue his development stride. We would like the governor to collaborate closely with Nyesom Wike and the assembly members. In order to move the state forward, we would like the governor to come and cooperate with everyone. That is what we are interested in. The PDP governors have the right to bring legal action, but Nigeria has no courts as the judiciary has completely let Nigerians down. Nigeria now has no judicial unless they show themselves correct. Therefore, the judiciary does not interest us. No court piques our curiosity. Therefore, we want to know how to have peacebuilding and reach a peaceful state. We are interested in it as of right now.

How did you feel about the National Assembly’s role in approving the president’s decision to proclaim a state of emergency in Rivers State?

Section 11-4, which gives the National Assembly the authority to enact laws for the state in the absence of the House of Assembly, will be my first point of reference. Even if they have the authority to enact legislation, they are not allowed to do so in order to remove an elected governor or deputy governor from office, according to the law mentioned in the last paragraph. Section 305 is likewise rather explicit. The National Assembly lacks the authority to enact legislation that would remove the governor or deputy governor under Section 305. However, the judiciary has turned its back on us, and the Rivers people have been whipped, as I mentioned. Everyone is opposed to us. However, I must give credit to Nigerians who came out in force to declare this to be persecution. The Rivers people don’t deserve this. Thank you to the attorneys. All of the reliable Nigerians who have been able to claim that the law has been compromised have my gratitude. Furthermore, the Supreme Court, which is tasked with interpreting the law, has likewise failed to do so. The Supreme Court has so been forgotten. We have overlooked the judiciary. We have neglected to mention the National Assembly. If this assembly goes on, we are aware that it will simply be a rubber stamp assembly. They have shown themselves to be a presidential rubber stamp extension. Therefore, we don’t give a damn about them. They have wiped out the Rivers people. By allowing the governor to do what he does best, we hope to dry our tears. For this reason, we are recommending that the governor and all other stakeholders embrace harmony and cooperate for the sake of Rivers State. We have observed that they are perverting justice, thus we are not interested in anything else that is happening in the state or the nation. Therefore, all you have to do when justice is twisted is to operate within your framework of peace. Thus, while we work, we pray for peace. We want Christ’s handiwork to step in so that, at the very least, as Christians, we can embrace peace and act morally toward both God and people, allowing our conscience to rest in peace.

When a godfather demands loyalty rather than leadership, gratitude, progress, or the well-being of the populace, how do you explain this and what are the immediate and long-term effects on our democracy?

Now, as I mentioned, we are not here to pass judgment on anyone. Rivers State must now make concessions. It’s self-forgiveness. We have viewed it as detrimental to us. So we don’t say anything about anyone. Now we just need peace. What I’m going to say will help Rivers State become more peaceful and harmonious. Regardless of what has transpired, we are forgiving each other. And I believe that the peace process that will advance the state is what we are presently aiming for.

When people claim that Fubara has been overthrown by the type of peace that was reached so that he can regain power, what do you say to them?

Fubara is not here to give the Rivers people a brief. Thus, the extent of their conversations is unknown to us. We can’t predict their conversation until he gave Rivers’ guys a briefing. Today, however, the fact that Fubara is the governor of Rivers State is crucial. Additionally, as Rivers State’s governor, he has certain constitutional obligations to the state and its citizens. The courts will overrule such constitutional responsibilities, but those responsibilities are a step in the constitution. He remains the state’s governor otherwise. In the interest of peace, however, a compromise may be made. Even yet, he is not a lame dog. You might leave some and get some if he wishes to find peace. It is impossible to be win-win all the time. He should therefore make an effort to connect with everyone and ensure that we reunite as a single entity. One and aspiring to be one is Rivers State. No one wants to be condemned. No one wants to be praised. However, we want to make sure that everyone involved has finally understood that we do not want an outsider to come and wash our resources again.