Rivers APC orders immediate impeachment of Gov Fubara
Siminalayi Fubara
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has ordered its members in the state House of Assembly to commence the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
APC’s impeachment call is coming barely 24 hours after Governor Fubara said the House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule, is not recognised by law.
Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, said in a press conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that the impeachment process was necessary because the governor “has insulted the sensibility” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who waded in to resolve the lingering crisis in the state.
APC said the impeachment process was necessary in view of the governor’s blatant refusal to honour the peace agreement initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu between Fubara and the Minister of the federal capital territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, some months ago and his recent declaration of the lawmakers’ seats vacant
Recall that on Monday, Governor Fubara declared, for the first time since the commencement of the crisis, that the APC lawmakers do not exist in the eyes of the law, adding that “those group of men who claim that they are Assembly members, they are not existing… their existence, and whatever they have been doing is because I allow them to do so. If I don’t recognize them, they are nowhere.”
The back story
Recall that Vanguard reported that Fubara, and the State House of Assembly have been at each other’s throat over the passage of the Amended State’s Procurement Bill.
The Assembly, at its 173th Legislative Sitting, overrode the assent of Governor Siminialayi Fubara, to pass the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2024 into Law.
Amaewhule’s led assembly, took the decision to override the Governor after the governor allegedly withheld his assent.
But, the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, criticised the attitude of the members of the state legislature towards his administration, saying the members would cease to exist as legislators if he so decided.
The House had passed the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2024 on March 26th, 2024 and transmitted same to the Governor for assent, but the House claimed that the Governor had declined assent.
