Retrace Your Steps, NBA Chairman Tells Fubara

The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ibadan Branch, Mr Ibrahim Lawal, on Monday urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State to retrace his steps, stating that the governor had committed several infractions. The 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, on Monday, raised allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy, Ngozi Odu. Speaking on the development in a chat with The Guardian in Ibadan, Lawal said the governor could not manage people and relationships. Decrying Fubara’s demolition of the House of Assembly complex, the legal luminary lamented that the governor’s high-handedness had adversely affected governance in the state. “Governor Sim Fubara should retrace his steps. I am saying this because if you look at the decision of the Supreme Court and the way and manner he was described, it is evident that governance had collapsed in Rivers State due to the governor’s high-handedness. “He has to retrace his steps. He caused this trouble for himself. What is the basis for fighting the legislature in the first place? The symbol of any democratic government is its legislature. Why did he have to fight the lawmakers? The governor engaged in unnecessary fights to the extent of destroying their chambers. It is not fair. He said. He accused Fubara of poor management skills, while also blaming him of engaging in a rift with his mentor and the people who brought him to power. “Why did he even have to fight his mentor in the first place? How long have you been in government and politics that you would begin to fight those who helped you become governor? What does he stand to gain from it? We have seen governors who have managed people effectively. The ability to manage people is lacking in Fubara.” He said. The NBA chairman also urged the lawmakers to exhibit statesmanship in their conduct and prioritise the interests of the people. “First and foremost, I congratulate the 27 lawmakers for escaping the hammer. They should also be statesmanlike in their thinking, and I do not think the House at this time should adjourn sine die—which means adjourning indefinitely,” he said.