In Rivers State, Nigeria, political tensions are mounting as the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged 27 members of the State House of Assembly, who are loyal to Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Similanayi Fubara. The call was made by the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, during a press conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Okocha criticized Governor Fubara for numerous impeachable offenses, asserting that the governor had overstepped his constitutional boundaries by disregarding the legislative assembly. “The Governor’s head has become bigger than his pillow. He does not respect the law. He does anything he cares to do,” Okocha explained, emphasizing the need to address what he described as a governance crisis in the state.
Chief Okocha highlighted a troubling statement made by Governor Fubara, in which the governor purportedly denied the legitimacy of the State Assembly, asserting that they “do not exist” and that their continuance is merely by his allowance. This claim by Fubara, according to Okocha, is a clear example of the governor’s dictatorial tendencies and a misunderstanding of the constitutional division of powers.
“The Governor said the Assembly members do not exist, that whatever thing they are doing is because he allowed them. In other words, he has re-written the books,” Okocha said. He also criticized the governor’s public disagreements with the President’s directives, particularly concerning the proclamation that was signed to maintain peace and political stability in Rivers State.
Responding to the APC’s accusations, Rivers Commissioner for Information, Mr. Joseph Johnson, dismissed the claims, stating that the 27 lawmakers effectively lost their seats when they defected to another party, referencing Section 109 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Johnson argued that, legally, the Rivers State House of Assembly is non-existent and that the governor has only tolerated their presence out of magnanimity.
The situation in Rivers State remains fraught as the APC pushes for impeachment, while the state government insists on the inexistence of a legally functioning legislative assembly. This political conflict underscores the ongoing struggles within Rivers State’s governance structures, potentially impacting the political stability of the region.