Rivers crisis: Lawmakers serve impeachment notice on Gov Fubara
….Gov summons emergency State Security Council meeting
….I committed no offence, can’t be impeached – Gov Fubara
….State assembly suspends chief judge
…Wike Plans To Remove Fubara, Install Rivers Speaker As Gov – Edwin Clark
…We’ve Launched Investigation Into Rivers Situation – Police
The Rivers State House of Assembly has begun the process of impeaching the state governor, Siminialayi Fubara.
To this end, the state’s lawmakers served an impeachment notice on Fubara after removing the House Leader, Edison Ehie, who is believed to be on the Governor’s side.
Twenty-four out of 32 members of Rivers Assembly have signed the document for Fubara’s impeachment.
The decisions were taken at an emergency sitting by the lawmakers on Monday morning.
The unusual sitting took place between 7am and 9am on Monday.
Fubara summons emergency State Security Council meeting
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara on Monday held an emergency meeting with members of the State Security Council.
The meeting, according to sources, may not be unconnected with the recent crisis rocking the political space in the state.
The crisis had resulted in an explosion at the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, and subsequent suspension of the leader of the House, as well as four other members.
Some members of the Assembly have also commenced impeachment proceedings against the governor.
The developments have raised security concerns in the state.
Salient Times reports that journalists are waiting to be briefed by the governor after the meeting.
Rivers: I committed no offence, can’t be impeached – Gov Fubara
Meanwhile, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State on Monday downplayed any impeachment move against him.
Fubara insisted that he has committed no offence to warrant being impeached by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
He spoke while addressing his supporters at the Assembly Complex in Port Harcourt.
The governor assured the people of the state of getting the dividends of democracy.
“Let them come out and tell Rivers people the offence I have committed to warrant any impeachment.
“Let me assure the people of Rivers that I will continue to ensure that you get the dividends of democracy. At the appropriate time I will address the press,” he said.
There are reports of an impending impeachment process against Fubara following the removal of Edison Ehie as the House leader.
The crisis that ensued in the House left members fleeing for safety as tear gas was fired outside the Complex.
Wike Plans To Remove Fubara, Install Rivers Speaker As Gov – Edwin Clark
An elder statesman and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has said Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is behind the plot to impeach Rivers State Governor, Sam Fubara.
According to him, Wike’s intention is to force Fubara’s deputy to resign after a successful impeachment and install the Speaker of the state House of Assembly as governor.
The elder statesman then asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution Wike and security agencies in Rivers State.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had removed Fubara’s loyalist and majority leader, Edison Ehie, who was said to have frustrated an attempt to initiate impeachment proceedings against the governor on Monday.
After that, the governor and his loyalists, reportedly surrounded by armed security operatives, stormed the assembly complex to disrupt the impeachment move.
Clark in a statement on Monday said Tinubu must act fast and avert the unfolding crisis in Rivers State in the interest of his administration, the nation’s democracy, and the country at large.
Clark said Nigeria is in a democracy and the tenets of constitutional democracy must be upheld by all Rivers people who have suffered enough political crises.
The statement reads in part, “I have been greatly disturbed by the reported developments in Rivers State in the last 24 hours. I have been reliably informed that there is a plot to unlawfully remove the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Siminalaye Fubara, who has spent only about 5 months in office.
“I understand the sad episode is being orchestrated by the immediate past Governor of Rivers State and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike. And that the intention is to remove the Governor, force his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu to resign, and install the Speaker of the House of Assembly, another Ikwerre person as the governor of the state.
“Let me warn strongly, we won’t allow that to happen. President Bola Tinubu must call Nyesom Wike and the security agencies in Rivers State to order, to avert any untold crisis in Rivers State.
“The consequences would be dire for the stability of the region and the national economy. What has Governor Fubara done wrong? Refusing to be further ‘remote controlled?’ Mr. Nyesom Wike was governor for 8 years, nobody hassled him. He governed Rivers State like an emperor, he did not show any iota of respect and regard to anyone, not even those who imposed him on Rivers people in 2015.”
We’ve Launched Investigation Into Rivers Situation – Police
The Nigerian Police Force says it is aware of the security situation at the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex, adding that it has launched a comprehensive investigation to uncover the circumstances.
The police disclosed this in a post on its Facebook page on Monday, assuring that it would take immediate action against those responsible.
“We’re aware of the security situation at the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex. The Rivers State Police Command is actively addressing the matter. We’ve launched a comprehensive investigation to uncover the circumstances and will take immediate action against those responsible. Stay tuned for further updates. Your safety remains our priority.”
The police were reacting to comments that its personnel shot a water cannon at the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who was at the House of Assembly Complex on Monday.
Channels Television reported that a fresh crisis engulfed the Rivers State House of Assembly as the lawmakers on Monday launched an impeachment proceeding against Governor Fubara.
This followed an emergency sitting on Monday morning at the House auditorium after the hallowed chambers was burnt down last night.
A protest broke out outside the Complex with supporters of the governor resisting his planned impeachment.
Governor has said he has not committed any offence to warrant impeachment by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Let them come out and tell Rivers people the offence I have committed to warrant any impeachment,” the governor said while addressing his supporters at the Assembly Complex.
The governor, who assured the people of the state of getting the dividends of democracy, said he would speak on the matter at the appropriate time.
“Let me assure the people of Rivers that I will continue to ensure that you get the dividends of democracy. At the appropriate time I will address the press,” he said.
More drama in Rivers as state assembly suspends chief judge
The Rivers state house of assembly has suspended Chibuzor Amadi, chief judge of the state.
The suspension was reportedly carried out by members of the assembly loyal to Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state.
Fubara was reportedly directed to appoint an acting chief judge immediately.
The development is the latest to unfold in the chaos that has trailed the rumours of attempts to impeach Fubara.
Earlier, a fire had gutted a section of the assembly complex and the main chamber.
On Monday, the house removed its leader, Edison Ehie, allegedly as part of the plot to impeach the governor.
All local government chairpersons in the state have also been reportedly sacked while the state executive council has been said to be dissolved.
A defiant Fubara breezed into the house of assembly complex earlier in the day after addressing a horde of youths outside the government house.
Teargas fumes and water cannons from the police enveloped the governor’s convoy as he made his way to the complex.
“Let them come out and tell Rivers people the offence I have committed to warrant any impeachment,” the governor said outside the assembly complex.
The recent drama comes amid speculations of a rift between Fubara and Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of the state and current minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).
Efforts to reach Boniface Onyedi, Fubara’s spokesperson, were not successful as he did not respond to calls or texts sent to his mobile phone.
