The Rivers chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claims Gov. Siminalayi Fubara has betrayed the party and the Rivers people by abandoning it in the midst of a political crisis.
Dr. Nname Ewor, the party’s factional caretaker chairman, revealed this at a news conference on Thursday in Port Harcourt.
The conflict between Fubara and members of the State Assembly began less than a year after he took office, resulting in a significant political crisis for the state.
Ewor claimed that President Bola Tinubu interfered and that part of the agreement was that Fubara would not run for another term.
He stated that Fubara was also asked to reinstall Chief Ohna Awuse as Chairman of the Rivers Traditional Rulers Council.
He further revealed that other agreements made included the governor removing Tammy Danagogo as Secretary to the State Government and Edison Ehie as Chief of Staff.
He said that Fubara refused to abide by all of the stipulations of the treaty, resulting in the collapse of the peace agreement and Tinubu’s imposition of a State of Emergency in Rivers.
The chairman further stated that Fubara reached another deal with Tinubu shortly before the emergency rule was removed, which resulted in his final defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressive Party (APC).
He claimed that shortly after announcing his defection, Fubara began boasting that Tinubu would force State House of Assembly members to approve the 2026 budget.
He claimed that the governor further boasted that Tinubu will persuade the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to back his second-term reelection campaign.
He urged Fubara to inform Rivers residents about the conditions of the accord agreed upon with Tinubu prior to the state’s emergency rule being abolished.
“The mandate Fubara is holding was given to him by Rivers people, and all his actions and inactions affect all those whose mandate he is holding.
“Therefore, it is incumbent on him at this material time to disclose to Rivers people the terms of the peace agreement he entered with Tinubu before the emergency rule was lifted.
“This will enable river people to make informed decisions,” he said.
Ewor remembered that in order to protect its mandate, the PDP filed a Supreme Court challenge to the declaration of emergency.
“Today, Fubara has taken our mandate to the APC, which, with all intent and purpose, is unjust,” he said.
Ewor also accused Fubara of tricking them into attending the PDP Convention in Ibadan, only for him to skip the meeting, which is currently being litigated in court.
He stated that he totally supports Wike’s efforts for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
