The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has instructed its members in the state House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The call for impeachment from the APC comes just 24 hours after Governor Fubara declared that the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, is not legally recognized.
Speaking at a press conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, stated that the impeachment process was necessary because the governor “has insulted the sensibility” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who intervened to resolve the ongoing crisis in the state.
Fubara and the State House of Assembly have been in conflict over the passage of the Amended State Procurement Bill.
During its 173rd Legislative Sitting, the Assembly bypassed Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s assent to pass the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2024 into law.
The Assembly made this decision after the governor allegedly refused to give his assent.
In response, Governor Siminalayi Fubara criticized the behavior of the state legislature towards his administration, stating that the members would cease to exist as legislators if he so decides.
The House passed the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2024 on March 26, 2024, and sent it to the Governor for assent, but the House claimed that the Governor had refused to assent.
Speaking on the bill, Majority Leader Hon. Major Jack and other members debated its significance, with Speaker Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule emphasizing that it would safeguard taxpayers’ money and ensure that funds are not squandered on unnecessary projects and twisted contracts.
Amaewhule lamented the awarding of contracts without legal backing and the dictatorial manner in which the state was being governed.
He reiterated that despite these malpractices, the House would uphold the laws of Rivers State and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He stressed that if Governor Siminalayi Fubara continued in this manner, the House would take more drastic measures when necessary.
According to him, the House cannot stand by and watch the Governor continue to violate the laws of the State in a tyrannical manner.
In response, Governor Fubara stated, “Those group of men who claim to be Assembly members are not Assembly members; they do not exist.”
Fubara mentioned that the lawmakers only exist based on his interest in the Abuja peace accord initiated by President Bola Tinubu.
He made these remarks while addressing a delegation of political and traditional leaders from Bayelsa State who visited him at the Government House in Port Harcourt to seek an end to the political crisis in Rivers State and to improve the relationship between both states.
The delegation included the first Military Governor of old Rivers State, Alfred Diete-Spiff, who is the Traditional Ruler of Twon Brass in Bayelsa State, as well as other Traditional Rulers, former Commissioners, former Governor of Bayelsa State and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Henry Seriake Dickson, former State and National Assembly members, and PDP executives.
Fubara informed the delegation that despite having the power of the state at his disposal to achieve his goals, he has continued to act as the big brother in the face of intimidation and unwarranted attacks.
He revealed that he had always attended any meeting called to resolve the crisis in the state, but after each meeting, he was met with a new dimension of the crisis from the opposing side.
He said, “Those group of men who claim to be Assembly members are not Assembly members; they do not exist. I want it to be on record. I accepted that Peace Accord to give them a floating. That is the truth.
“There was nothing in that Peace Accord that’s a constitutional issue; it’s a political solution to a problem. And I accepted it because these were people that were eating in my house, these were people I have helped pay their children’s school fees when I wasn’t even a governor. So, what is the thing there?
“We might have our division, but I believe that one day, we could also come together, but it has come to a point when I have to make a statement that they do not exist. Their existence depends on me allowing them to exist. If I derecognize them, they are nowhere. I want you to see the sacrifice I have made in allowing peace to reign in our state.”