In a startling revelation, Prof Zacchaeus Adangor, former Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, has denounced Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s commitment to reconciliation with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today program, Adangor expressed his frustration, stating, “He (Fubara) is not the person people think he is, he is not a peacemaker.”
Adangor, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said he refused to comply with Fubara’s directive to institute a legal proceedings to challenge the validity of the Presidential Peace Pact initiated by President Bola Tinubu. As a result, he decided to resign from Fubara’s cabinet voluntarily.
According to Adangor, his disagreements with Fubara began after the Presidential Peace Pact in December 2023. This culminated in his redeployment from the justice ministry to the Ministry of Special Duties without prior consultation.
Attributing his redeployment to his unwavering commitment to the rule of law, Adangor deemed it unacceptable, leading to his resignation. He dismissed Fubara’s claims of sabotage during his tenure as attorney general, asserting his loyalty to Wike and emphasizing his adherence to legal principles.
Despite questions about his loyalty while serving under Fubara, Adangor clarified, “I never applied to work for Governor Fubara; I was invited to serve under him.”
He cited instances of Fubara’s alleged lack of commitment to peace, including directives to prevent his return to Rivers State University and refusal to authorize a customary court in his local community.
Adangor remarked, “I have been on leave of absence from Rivers State University, that’s my place of primary assignment. When I resigned on the 24th of April 2024, Fubara thought I would return to the university but I am aware that he had directed the management of the university not to allow me return to the university. That cannot be a decision taken by a person of peaceful disposition.” He also “refused to sign the warrant of establishment of a customary court in my local community to punish me,” Adangor added.
These revelations cast doubt on Governor Fubara’s professed intentions for reconciliation and highlight underlying tensions within the political space of Rivers State.