The political crisis in Rivers State has taken a huge swing for the worse as fierce reactions have trailed the ‘directive’ by the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) for the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
A spokesman of the Rivers State government has warned that the people would vehemently resist it. Joseph Johnson, the commissioner for information and communications, said the people would resist the move even with their blood.
Also, Emma Okah, twice commissioner for Information and Communications (during Celestine Omehia and Nyesom Wike) has termed Tony Okocha, caretaker committee chairman of the Rivers APC, a dreamer who would not like the consequences of the trouble he is initiating.
A strong supporter of the Fubara administration, Ibim Semenitari, also twice a Commissioner of Information and Communications in the state (during Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi regime), has kicked against Okocha’s directive for impeachment, wondering if the Rivers State House of Assembly now takes directives from a political party which in turn takes directives from a non-APC member.
The state government said through the information boss that the 27 defected lawmakers being directed to impeach the governor lacked moral authority to do so.
Johnson said the people would resist the lawmakers, saying Okocha lacked the morality to talk about the state government, noting that Okocha was not a legitimate member of the APC.
According to the commissioner, attempts to impeach the governor would not be an easy journey because the people of the state would resist such moves with their blood.
Read also: Rivers APC asks assembly to resume Fubara’s impeachment process for insulting Tinubu
Why we want to impeach Fubara – Okocha
Okocha addressed the press same day Fubara’s one year anniversary plans were unveiled to the press by the committee headed by Tammy Danagogo, secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG). Okocha gave reasons for directing the 27 defected lawmakers to begin impeachment right away or face sanctions.
He said it has become necessary considering what he called the intolerable level of gross incompetence, financial recklessness, and abuse of power on the part of the Governor.
He accused Gov Fubara of abusing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, though he did not quote the abusive statement. The loyalists of Nyesom Wike had accused the governor of sending people to abuse Wike, the FCT Minister.
Okocha said Fubara failed to adhere to the terms of the peace accord in Aso Rock and the proclamation handed by the President. Fubara has, however, continued to heap commendations and assurances of loyalty to Tinubu.
Okocha rather used abusive words saying: “A state as crucial and important as Rivers State has produced a dunderhead. We cannot accept that. Our charge to the Assembly is to immediately commence impeachment. And if they don’t do that, there is what they call party discipline. We shall invoke the relevant section of the constitution.”
He showed much pain at Fubara’s rejection of the 27 lawmakers. Fubara had made a statement saying the 27 lawmakers did not exist (in the eye of the law), but Okocha said it means that Gov Fubara has proscribed the House of Assembly and must thus be impeached.
Read also: First year in office: Fubara to account ‘kobo for kobo’ to Rivers people
Ibim: It is shocking what Okocha wants to do
Reacting, Semenitari said: “It is shocking that any Rivers person can call for the impeachment of a peace-loving and simple man like Gov Fubara. It is even more interesting that the factional leader of an opposition party is the one giving instructions to the Rivers State House of Assembly. Interestingly these are members who were elected on the platform of the PDP who sincerely (if we go by the spirit and letter of the constitution as well as Supreme Court ruling) may not truly be qualified to sit as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. But we have a governor and leader who is truly committed to peace and does not want to upset the apple cart.”
She went on: “Unfortunately our brothers and colleagues on the other side of the political divide sadly do not seem to be interested in peace. Isn’t it curious that Sir Tony Okocha keeps fighting against caretaker committee possibility in Rivers local councils but sits comfortably as caretaker chairman of a democratic institution such as a political party even without tenure definition.”
“I consistently repeat that Rivers State cannot afford this kind of crisis or war at this point in its development history.
“Regardless of that, our leader in the PDP has insisted that for his, Rivers State should be at peace and the state should not go into flames. He is not interested in a fight or battle. He believes that Rivers State should be in peace and prosperity. And, if you look at the work he is doing, you will find that he is completing projects started by administrations before him. He recognizes that government is a continuum, he recognises the need for the people of Rivers State to benefit from government and governance.
“I think that should be the concern of every true Rivers sons and daughter; to ensure that there is peace and development and that everything should be brought to the table and everything is sorted out.
“I do not believe that the Rivers State House of Assembly should strive to take over the duties of the Executive, just the same way the Executive should take over the duties of the Assembly. The reason this enshrined in the Constitution is so that Democracy can function effectively and seamlessly so everybody can benefit in the mechanism of checks and balances. So, no one arm of Government should kind of give itself the powers of the other. Even when there is war, everything ends on the negotiation table.”
Emma Okah:“Tony Okocha is a dreamer daring Rivers people into actions that he and his paymasters would find unpalatable.”
Ifeanyi Odili: A onetime local council boss during the Amaechi era reacted to the stoppage of LGA funds thus: “Why are they complaining? Wike withheld local government allocations for three months in 2021 before the end of our tenure and these same people complaining now paid us our salaries after we left office. So, they should relax, after their tenure, the new persons or people will pay them.”
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