As the impeachment plot against Gov. Siminalayi Fubara gathers momentum, the Rivers Government has called on the State House of Assembly to prioritize citizens’ welfare and maintain peace in the state.
Mr. Joe Johnson, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, made the appeal at a news conference in Port Harcourt on Monday.
He said that a change of course by the lawmakers would prevent “unimaginable suffering and crises” for the state and its people.
Persecondnews reported that the Assembly had issued a gross misconduct notice against Gov. Fubara and his Deputy, Ngozi Odu, on Monday, setting the stage for their possible impeachment.
Johnson denounced the Assembly’s decision to deny the governor a chance to re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill, defying a Supreme Court directive in the process.
He criticised claims by the lawmakers that Fubara had not followed due process in notifying them about the budget presentation.
He said: “Fubara has demonstrated his preparedness and willingness to re-present the 2025 budget and fully implement all aspects of the controversial Supreme Court ruling.
“His commitment to this process is solely for the sake of peace. It is unfortunate that the lawmakers are misrepresenting him, portraying him as unwilling to comply with the Supreme Court’s judgement.
“If this opportunity to pull the state from the precipice fails, the people and residents, without exception, will suffer avoidable calamities.
“The state could face economic, social, and political upheavals, that might sink us deeper into unimaginable crises.”
The commissioner lamented that the Supreme Court’s directive, ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) to withhold the state’s revenue allocations, had severely crippled the government’s ability to function, hindering its capacity to pay civil servants, retirees, and other workers their salaries, pensions, and emoluments.
He added that the state government’s other financial obligations would remain unfulfilled until the judgement was fully implemented.
He said: “The collateral damage caused by the actions of the legislative arm in Rivers State will be so severe. Withholding revenues due to the state will paralyse government operations.”
Persecondnews had reported that the RSHA formally served a notice of alleged misconduct against the governor his deputy on Monday.
The notice stated that the action was “in compliance with Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and other extant laws.”
The lawmakers have listed 19 offenses committed by the embattled governor, with two specific being: “That His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State authorised or approved withdrawals from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State in the 2024 financial year of Rivers State without an appropriation law duly passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly contrary to Section 120 of the Constitution.
“Hindering or obstructing the Rivers State House of Assembly which is another arm of government protected by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) from performing her constitutional duties.”
Gov. Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, have been embroiled in a dispute since Fubara took office.
Fubara alleged that Wike seeks to control the state’s resources, while Wike claims that Fubara reneged on their agreement, which was brokered by President Bola Tinubu.
The crisis escalated to the point where Fubara ceased working with 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike in December 2023, after they defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He presented the 2024 budget to a faction of the House led by Edison Ehie, on December 13, 2023.
After many legal back-and-forth, the Supreme Court on February 28, ordered the Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the House and other elected members to resume legislative duties immediately without any hindrance.
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