The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, igniting further political tensions in the state.
This directive comes in response to the governor’s recent declaration that the members of the House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, no longer hold legal status.
In Fubara’s words:
“Let me say it here, those groups of men, who claim they are Assembly members, are not existing. I want it to be on record. I accepted that peace accord to give them a soft-landing. That is the truth.
There is nothing in that peace accord that is a constitutional issue. It is a political solution to a problem. I accepted it because these are people that were visiting me and we were together in my house.
These are people that I have helped… in many ways when I was not even a governor. Yes, we might have our disagreements, but I believe one day, we could also come together. That was the reason I did it.
But I think it has gotten to a time when I need to make a statement on this thing, so that they understand they are not existing. Their existence and whatever they have been doing is because I allowed them to do so. If I don’t recognize them, they are nowhere, that is the truth.”
Tony Okocha, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party, issued the directive during a press conference held in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, May 7.
Okocha cited Governor Fubara’s remarks dismissing the existence of the Assembly members as the catalyst for this action.
“The president (Bola Tinubu) cannot be derided by the governor. The president is the leader of our own political party and it will be foolhardy and stupidity on our part to sit down, to see somebody less than Mr. President insult Mr. President under our very nose.
It is also absurd to see the governor begin to espouse impunity, intimidation on people who are members of our political party and we stand akimbo doing nothing.
We are here to respond vehemently and stoutly to say to you that as chairman of APC, Rivers State, as representative of Mr. President, that I won’t sit here to see the governor insult the president.
We won’t sit here to see the governor declare on his own as if he is a court to declare Assembly members’ seats vacant.
To that extent, in consultation with my party, we have directed APC Assembly members to immediately commence impeachment processes of Governor Fubara. Impeachment of a government that does not respect the Rule of Law,” he said
The ongoing feud between the governor and 27 Assembly members loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike has escalated following failed attempts to impeach Fubara.
Governor Fubara’s comments, made during a meeting with a Bayelsa State delegation, sparked outrage among APC members. Okocha condemned the governor’s assertion, stating that no constitutional provision grants him the authority to nullify the Assembly members’ status.
In response, Okocha affirmed the party’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring accountability.
He announced that APC Assembly members have been instructed to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, emphasizing the importance of holding government officials accountable for their actions.
Furthermore, Okocha warned that failure to commence impeachment proceedings would result in disciplinary action against the Assembly members in accordance with the party’s constitution.
He criticized Governor Fubara’s administration, accusing it of incompetence and mismanagement of state resources.
“And if they don’t do that, there is what is called party discipline, we shall invoke that aspect of the constitution and deal decisively with them. We will not also sit down here on behalf of Rivers people to see Rivers State become a laughing stock in the comity of nations,
“Everyday, we find justification in our assertions that the government of Fubara is the worst thing that has happened in our political landscape, in our political history.
We are justified every other second in our assertion that the government is clueless, is directionless and it is ruthless. And that the governor is even compounding the matter.
He is procuring for himself, other very negative dictions and the penchant to deceive Rivers people.
And, of course, you know that as the main opposition political party in Rivers State, we will never sit down to see all those things and go free, nor shall we allow him to ride rough shoots over us and over the people of Rivers State,” he said.
