Don Urges Fubara To Be People-Oriented In Governance

A Researcher and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Sofiri Joab-Peterside, has urged Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara to attune himself to the desires of the citizenry if he must overcome the current political crisis.
Prof. Peterside while speaking on a live radio programme, “Viewpoint”, recently in Port Harcourt, said the Governor has so far displayed disposition for peace, but should be alert of scheme by his detractors to derail him.
He said, “You can’t want peace and allow yourself to be executed. He must take calculated actions, he should not be disconnected from the people”.
Meanwhile, the university don faulted the embattled Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule for acting in conflict with sections of the Constitution by passing laws without public engagement and endorsement by the Governor.
He argued that the action of the embattled lawmakers were ultra vires since they did not follow the legal process of amending laws without public input and engaging their constituents.
“Tenure elongation is not in tandem with our Constitution”, Prof. Peterside observed, “and we are not in military government where laws are made without public hearing”.
On his views about the legality of the Amaewhule-led Assembly, the sociologist said the defection of the 27 lawmakers contravenes Section 109 of the Constitution, which further provides that the laws and actions carried out by them were illegal.
Besides, the university lecturer opined that the lawmakers are not well grounded in lawmaking, as some of their actions were done in retrospection.
He challenged civil society groups to live up to their responsibility by checking the excesses of leaders, adding that the people should be active and participate in the governance process.
On what he feels is the solution to the political crisis in Rivers State, Peterside said, “the solution is still elusive as far as the aggressors do not give room for peace”.

Kevin Nengia