Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday threatened to resume the impeachment process against the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara if it becomes necessary to uphold the Constitution.
The lawmakers led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, during a press briefing in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said it would not hesitate to sack the governor if he does not change his ways.
The lawmakers in a statement signed by the speaker and 26 other members, declared that they have the mandate of the people of the state and swore an oath of allegiance to the Constitution to do the needful, including the impeachment of the governor as a last resort.
They also alleged acts of misconduct against Governor Fubara.
Reacting to the recent briefing by the chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state led by a former Minister of Transportation, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, the speaker stated that PDP members who vehemently opposed the candidatures of President Bola Tinubu and Fubara have turned round to sing their praises for selfish interests.
The lawmakers stated that after the House of Assembly withdrew its earlier impeachment notice served on the governor based on the intervention of President Tinubu, they have not seen any change on the side of the governor as agreed at the peace meeting in Abuja.
Regretting the degeneration of the relationship between executive and legislature in the state, the 27 legislators said: “We begin by announcing to you that sponsored attacks on the House have failed woefully. Enemies of the people and those who cannot withstand the principles of the rule of law as well as checks and balances in our nascent democracy, in their frustration, started with the burning and later demolition of the hallowed chamber.
“Their plan is to eliminate the legislature that is pushing for the independence granted her by the Constitution since they cannot exercise undue control over her.
“We survived these attacks. Their new strategy is to use another arm of government, lobbyists, attack dogs and the mainstream and social media to bring the House to disrepute and consummate their agenda. In this regard, various individuals, groups, and media mercenaries have been recruited to actualise their objectives.
“The latest of the new groups recruited against the 10th assembly is the ‘Former Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council’. In a press conference on March 26, 2024, signed by Dr. Abiye Sekibo, this group inferred that the House is an illegal and unconstitutional assembly,” the legislators explained.
The lawmakers accused the PDP group of deriding the 10th assembly for joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) which incidentally is the president’s political party. They also accused the PDP chieftains of attacking the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, who they claimed worked tirelessly for the victory of the president and the governor in Rivers State.
“The good people of Rivers State know who they truly are. Our constituents will not forget in a hurry how they fought against the candidature of the current governor and Mr. President during the elections. We are not surprised that they are no longer saying all the unprintable things against the president and the governor because this is who they are.
“These new arrivals have just landed like hawks. They now want to grab what they spat on but need to be careful of their ranting and utterances against the institution of the legislature and the FCT minister as they can derail the existing peace in the state.”
“It is worthy of note that the notice of impeachment of the governor was quickly withdrawn by members of the House in fulfilment of the terms of the agreement and out of immense respect for the person and Office of the President of the Federal Republic and believing that there would be a U-turn in terms of unlawful actions of the governor. The reverse is now the case as we see from day to day the activities of the state governor being conducted outside the laws of Rivers State and the Constitution.
“To this day, Rivers State remains the only state without an Appropriation Law and the governor recklessly abandons laws of the state. These new hawks in the scene and all those who are quick to refer to the governor as ‘Mr. Innocent’ will not go and advise him. They prefer to hold talk shows, organise rallies, hold press conferences, and announce that the House commenced impeachment proceedings against the governor for no just cause but fail to ask the governor if he has not been informed of the particulars of gross misconduct levelled against him or at least read them when they were filed in Court in response to his petition.
“They must not forget that the Rivers State House of Assembly has the mandate of the people and that we swore an oath of allegiance to the Constitution to do the needful including the impeachment of the governor as a last resort. So, if it becomes a last resort, by the law, we will not hesitate to do so because no individual is bigger than Rivers State, including the governor,” the lawmakers threatened.
