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A group of federal lawmakers from the opposition parties in the National Assembly, known as the G60, have strongly criticized the recent call for the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
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The G60 described the move as a nonsensical invitation to anarchy by a group of 27 sacked lawmakers who lost their legitimacy after illegally defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and having their seats declared vacant.
The Rivers State chapter of the APC had earlier directed its members in the state House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, a day after the governor stated that the House of Assembly led by the sacked Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, lacked legal recognition.
In response, the G60, in a statement by its spokesperson, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, condemned the impeachment call as “political madness and legislative rascality.” Ugochinyere pointed out that those who initiated the impeachment process are no longer lawmakers as their seats were declared vacant due to their illegal decampment.
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He further urged Governor Fubara to commence prosecution against the sacked lawmakers for impersonation, emphasizing the need to maintain constitutional order and prevent further chaos in the state. Ugochinyere also praised Governor Fubara for his focus on delivering democratic dividends to the people of Rivers State, despite ongoing efforts to destabilize his administration.
The statement reads: “These clowns, as far as we are concerned, are still moving about freely because of Governor Fubara’s mercy and in adherence to a peace accord brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. However, their actions have crossed the line into legislative madness and cannot be legitimized. The so-called impeachment process they are attempting is invalid and unenforceable.”
Ugochinyere highlighted the negative impact of the crisis on the state’s governance and public service delivery. He urged the governor to continue recognizing the legitimate members of the House of Assembly and to pursue legal action against those impersonating lawmakers.
He concluded, “The defected and sacked members don’t have the constitutional recognition to continue perpetrating legislative rascality. They have no authority to serve impeachment notices or amend procurement laws. The Rivers State governor should act swiftly to prosecute these clowns and restore sanity to the state.”
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