Four days after impeachment proceedings were initiated in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has not been served with any notice, despite claims in some quarters that he already received the impeachment letter.
The governor only returned from an official trip to Europe on Saturday night.
“He was in church on Sunday for the Armed Forces Remembrance Day. Immediately after the service, he travelled to Abuja and is yet to return,” said one insider official said.
He explained that it would have been impossible to serve the governor with an impeachment notice since he has not been physically present in the state.
“There is no way they could have served him the so-called impeachment letter when he has not been around in the past few days. Reports claiming he has been served cannot be correct,” the source added.
Lawmakers Move Against Fubara
Last Thursday, 26 lawmakers, reportedly aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike, initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, citing allegations of gross misconduct.
However, there are growing indications that the impeachment move may be losing momentum. A prominent Niger Delta elder said efforts are ongoing behind the scenes to resolve the crisis.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel for the governor. Light will always prevail over darkness and impunity,” the elder said.
The Ijaw leader added: “We are doing a lot of things in the background which I cannot disclose now, but I can assure you that the impeachment process will not go anywhere. By God’s grace, all these issues will be settled.”
Assembly Raises Alarm
Over the weekend, the Rivers State House of Assembly raised alarm over an alleged plot by persons linked to the state government to obtain a court order restraining the Assembly from carrying out its legislative functions.
Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Dr. Enemi Alabo George, alleged that plans were underway to secure an ex parte order from a Rivers State High Court outside Port Harcourt to halt the impeachment process.
“The Rivers State House of Assembly has received information about plots by certain persons to use some Rivers State High Courts, especially outside the Port Harcourt Judicial Division, to issue ex parte orders to illegally stop the Assembly from performing its constitutional duties,” George said.
He maintained that those already served with notices of allegations of gross misconduct should respond accordingly, rather than resort to what he described as subterranean tactics to undermine the law or malign the Assembly through the media.
PANDEF Steps In
The Board of Trustees of the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has constituted a high-level committee to mediate in the crisis.
On Monday, a seven-man committee known as the Kanu Agabi Committee was inaugurated in Abuja. The committee is expected to meet with the warring parties in the Rivers political crisis and propose solutions aimed at de-escalating tensions.
There are also unconfirmed reports that President Bola Tinubu has directed the Rivers State House of Assembly to suspend all impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy.
The President was reportedly said to have instructed the lawmakers to consult with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for further guidance, while warning them against actions capable of further polarising the state.
MOSOP Condemns Impeachment Move
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has expressed concern over the impeachment move, describing it as a direct assault on President Tinubu.
MOSOP noted that the decision of the lawmakers to remove the governor could destabilize the state and slow down gains achieved in resolving the Ogoni crisis through the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke, said the sudden attempt to impeach the governor questions the Assembly’s loyalty to President Tinubu.
Nsuke warned that anti-development elements could exploit the crisis to derail progress in the resolution of Ogoni oil-related issues.
“The impeachment move against the governor is embarrassing and hurts the global image of the country, given that the issues of misunderstanding between the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the state governor were presumed to have been addressed and resolved by the intervention of Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Nsuke said.
He added: “At this time, we need to build an investor-friendly environment, and signs of unending political conflicts are not good for our economy. I think Mr President should be respected, and when he intervenes and resolves a matter, that matter should be deemed resolved and not be seen lingering thereafter.”
Nsuke therefore called on the Rivers State House of Assembly to discontinue impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara to protect the image of the country and the integrity of President Tinubu.
Rate, Like 👍, Comment 💬, Share this article, Follow us on our social media handles, and Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
