Rivers State was enveloped in confusion yesterday following moves by the House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The crisis between the governor and the divided House of Assembly, barely five months after their inauguration, was triggered by a cold war between Fubara and his benefactor, former Governor Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister.
The embattled governor, who promised to speak out on the crisis before the weekend, said he had never committed any impeachable offence to warrant his removal from office by the lawmakers.
He alleged a security breach against his person as the chief security officer of the state.
As early as 7:30 a.m. yesterday, there was a flurry of activities around the Assembly complex and the Government House.
Anti-Fubara lawmakers hurriedly removed the House Majority Leader, Edinson Ehie, who is perceived to be a major supporter of the governor.
Shortly after, Ehie was pronounced the new Speaker in a counter-coup by the other supporters of Fubara in the House of Assembly.
There are 32 members of the House of Assembly. Twenty-four are the anti-Fubara members, moving for the governor’s impeachment. Eight are for the governor.
Youths, who took to the streets in support of the governor in Port-Harcourt, decried the activities of the anti-Fubara lawmakers.
Trouble started in the state capital on Sunday evening when the House of Assembly was bombed by suspected thugs, who were said to have got wind of the looming impeachment and decided to frustrate it.
Undeterred by the attack on the hallowed chamber, 24 of the 32 members, led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule (Obio-Akpo Constituency 1), gained access to the complex at about 8 am and held plenary.
The lawmakers used an adjoining room to the chamber, which was not affected by the bomb, to commence the business of the day.
After removing the Majority Leader, they also suspended four other lawmakers, whom they accused of masterminding the bomb blast.
Shortly after the lawmakers rose and departed from the House, Fubara was seen trying to gain entrance into the bombed section of the Assembly complex.
The governor was shielded by some Ijaw youths and about three policemen as he walked into the chaotic Moscow Road leading to the complex.
There was commotion as teargas canisters were shot and gunshots were fired into the air by security operatives.
After inspecting the damage done by the fire, Fubara described the bombing as unfortunate, saying he was aware of the plot to impeach him.
The governor lamented that the security operatives had been compromised, complaining that he was shot at on his way to the Assembly complex.
Describing himself as a peaceful person, Fubara said he was not planning anything against anybody, urging residents to pray for him.
Fubara said: “It is unfortunate that we should be experiencing this kind of thing again after about nine years ago when we experienced a similar thing.
“I got the information last night and said I must come and see it myself.
“Everybody who knows me knows that I’m a peaceful person. I am aware of a plot to impeach me for whatever reason, but I’m not bothered about it.
“But I am worried that a facility like this built with taxpayers’ money will be destroyed like this for selfish reasons just to please somebody.”
The governor said he was ready to be remembered as someone who died for the struggle, describing the impeachment move as rubbish.
He said: “I’m calling on security agencies, but from what I have seen, the security is even compromised. They were shooting at me directly.
“I am not planning anything against anybody. I hear some people gathered here to do whatever. But that is pure rubbish. You cannot sit when there is a problem and say you are doing anything. What are you doing?
“I’m the chief security officer. No other person should come and create an alternative place somewhere for the Assembly to seat.”
Fubara, who braced the chaos, trekked back to the Government House, accompanied by protesting youths, who vowed to stand by him.
The crowd of youths, who hailed the governor, surrounded the entrance of the Government House, where Fubara was aided to a podium to address them.
He commended the youths for standing by him to protect the interest of Rivers.
He added: “If Siminalayi Fubara is impeached, I won’t be the first, neither will I be the last. But what is important is that any attempt that is not justified will be resisted.
“Let them come out and tell Rivers people the offence that I have committed to warrant impeachment.
“But my happiness this morning is that the people of Rivers State represented by every one of you here are with us. I can go home and sleep.
“Let me assure Rivers people that we will continue to defend them, protect you people and ensure that they will enjoy the dividends of democracy.”
Divided House
Speaker Martin Amaewhule accused the Majority Leader Edison Ehie, now factional Speaker, of leading the attack and masterminding the bombing of the House of Assembly.
He said: “It is unfortunate that the government is attacking the legitimate institution of the state, thereby causing crisis and confusion. We cannot sit and allow that.”
Hours after the anti-Fubara lawmakers announced the impeachment proceedings, the pro-Fubara legislators, led by Ehie, gathered at the Government and held a plenary.
Ehie, who briefed reporters afterwards, said he had been elected a Speaker.
Ehie, who was earlier suspended as the Leader of the House by the anti-Fubara lawmakers, commended the lawmakers for electing him.
He said: “As you can see, the House just rose from plenary and with all humility I must thank my colleagues, 26 Assembly members, who had just elected me as the new Speaker of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly.
“My commitment to Rivers people is that I will be fair and just to all and sundry and I will ensure that the rule of law takes its course. I will not betray my colleagues. I will not betray Rivers people. I will not betray my constituents.
“I will also ensure the independence of the Rivers State House of Assembly is adhered to with mutual respect to the judiciary and the executive arm of government.
“The honourable members that have been suspended as published will also be given a fair hearing.
“The committee on information will publish their names and the House urged the Committee on Petitions to give them a fair hearing.
“The House has also adjourned sine die (indefinitely) because the Parliamentary Association has served us a notice of indefinite strike from Abuja. So we can’t sit again.
“It, therefore, holds that any sitting after now will not hold water because an official notice has been received. I tell people if you have any grievances, approach the court. That is the resolution of the House.”
Reactions trail impeachment moves
Hundreds of youths especially from Ijaw extraction stormed the Government House chanting Ijaw slogans in solidarity with the governor.
They insisted that they would not allow their kinsman to be disgraced out of office.
Rivers is a multi-ethnic state, divided into Riverine and upland communities.
The Coordinator of the Sim Movement, Tonye Cookeygam, called for the protection of democracy, saying the three arms of government must work within the ambit of the law.
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He wondered why the legislative arm, without prompting, initiated an impeachment proceeding against the governor, who he said was barely five months in office.
He said: “I don’t understand what the problem is. The governor has been very loyal to the former governor. The three arms of government should observe the doctrine of separation of power.
“Why should the legislative arm of the government without prompting initiate an impeachment process for a man that is barely five months in office?
“You can see the level of development in the state as regards several projects initiated by the government. I was expecting that the projects initiated by the state government would have been lined up for commissioning.
“The governor has done well within the period he is in power. He has carried out several projects.
“So, on what basis do you want to impeach the governor? On what basis are all these things taking place?
“We say absolutely no to all that is happening in the state. As Rivers people, we cannot fold our arms and allow a few persons that have ulterior motives to take laws into their hands.”
The Dr. Theophilus Alaye-led Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide condemned the moves to impeach the governor.
IYC Spokesman, Bedford Benjamin, appealed to the lawmakers to desist from the act, saying it was capable of plunging Rivers into chaos.
Bedford said the governor should be allowed to run the affairs of the state without interference.
He said: “The rascality of the Assembly is about to cause an unnecessary bloodbath in the state. The IYC cautions loyalists of tyranny to retrace their steps because we will not allow this illegality to thrive.
“We also heard that the sitting governor was teargassed by uniformed men. It is totally unacceptable.”
The Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), the umbrella body of Nigerian youths in the geopolitical zones, called on the police headquarters to probe the attack on Rivers governor.
The President-General, Goodluck Ibem, said the attack on Fubara by security agents with live bullets, teargas and other weapons was a confirmation that they were on a mission to assassinate the governor.
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) condemned the destruction of public assets.
APC spokesman Darlington Nwauju said: “Monday’s arson attack on the hallowed chambers of the state assembly amounts to the desecration of the legislature.
“We warn political actors not to jeopardise the fragile security of the state because of their political greed.”
The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers called on both the legislative and executive arms in the state to exercise restraint in the ongoing impasse between them.
Its chairman, Desmond Akawor, said it was not unaware of the impasse between the two arms of government.
However, the chapter expressed confidence that the situation would be amicably settled.
He said: “The party is consulting with elders of the party and other notable personalities in the state to resolve the situation at stake.
“We are optimistic that the conflict, which is a family affair, would be resolved amicably at the end of the day.
“The leadership of the party, therefore, further calls on youths to exercise caution and refuse to use the situation to embark on wanton destruction of state properties, but to maintain the existing peace and tranquillity.
“We call on the good people of the state to remain calm and await the peaceful resolution of the situation.”
The Rivers State Police Command said it was on top of the security situation.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, said: “Full-scale investigation has been launched to unravel the circumstances surrounding the situations and take immediate policing actions against anyone found wanting.”
PDP governors to meet today over Rivers crisis
MEMBERS of the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) have scheduled an emergency meeting for today, it was learnt last night.
The governors will meet by 3 pm at the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, a source confirmed last night.
In a statement yesterday, the PDP-GF hinted that the meeting might not be unconnected with the ongoing leadership crisis in Rivers.
Elder statesman Edwin Clark warned of the dire consequences of impeaching Fubara.
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) leader blamed the crisis rocking Rivers on some vested interests, who he did not name.
He gave the warning in a statement he issued in reaction to the setting ablaze of the Assembly on Sunday night.
Stating that the fire incident arose from the plan to destabilise Rivers and impeach the governor, Clark alleged that Fubara was tear-gassed and was even threatened with being shot at when he visited the Assembly complex after the incident to assess the level of damage.
“I have been greatly disturbed by the reported developments in Rivers in the last 24 hours.
“I understand that the intention is to remove the governor, force his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu to resign, and install the Speaker of the House of Assembly as the governor.
“Let me warn strongly that we will not allow that to happen!
“The consequences would be dire for the stability of the region and for the national economy,’’ Clark charged.
He noted that Rivers people had suffered enough political crises.
“The state should not be allowed to degenerate again into its dark past; and the Niger Delta Region by extension,’’ he stated.
The elder statesman called on President Bola Tinubu to direct security agencies in Rivers to avert any untold crisis in the state.
He urged the president to act speedily to avert the unfolding crisis in Rivers in the interest of his administration and that of the nation’s democracy.
Clark warned also that vested interests should not be allowed to do whatever they liked; noting that Nigeria is a democracy and the tenets of constitutional democracy must be upheld by all.
