The call made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the State House of Assembly to start an impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara has been strongly criticized by the Rivers State Government.
Joseph Johnson, the Commissioner for Information and Communications in the state, pointed out that the 27 lawmakers in the State House of Assembly do not have the ethical authority to carry out the impeachment of the governor.
In a warning to the APC lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, the commissioner emphasized that any attempt to impeach the governor would face resistance from the people of Rivers.
A report from NewsNow mentioned that Tony Okocha, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, urged the State Assembly during a press conference in Port Harcourt to promptly kick off the impeachment process against the governor.
Okocha’s justification for the impeachment was based on the governor allegedly “insulting the sensibility” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who intervened to resolve the ongoing crisis in the state.
Responding swiftly, the Information and Communications Commissioner stated that Okocha lacked the moral credibility to comment on the state government, emphasizing that Okocha was not a legitimate APC member.
According to the commissioner, any attempts to impeach the governor would face significant challenges as the people of the state would vehemently oppose such actions even to the point of sacrificing their lives.
He asserted, “The journey ahead will not be smooth. Their aspirations are futile because the Rivers community will vehemently resist. Their endeavors lack legitimacy; they are merely striving for self-preservation. On what grounds can they base their actions? Legality cannot be built upon illegality.
“We maintain that they do not have the right to proceed. It is advised that they do not even contemplate it because Section 109(g) already settles the matter. It clearly states that if an Assembly member defects from the party that elected them, they automatically forfeit their seat. They have already done so, and that is final. Our Constitution is paramount.
“The court, particularly the Supreme Court, is responsible for addressing these fundamental issues. A valid judgement has already been made on this matter, and we do not require a second opinion on whether we should recognize them as Assembly members or not. The Supreme Court has already declared those seats vacant.
“Tony Okocha was recently deemed not an APC member by a former party chairman, Sokonte Davies. He represents a faction. We await confirmation from the faction led by Chief Emeka Beke. Okocha stands on shaky ground. His call holds no weight. Advising to impeach the governor is a futile endeavor, leading to nowhere, and they shall not prevail. These lawmakers are non-existent, both in reality and in law.”