Rivers coalition warns against Fubara’s impeachment

A group, the Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought, has called on the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly to drop its plan to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara to avoid anarchy in the state.

The coalition said the recent actions of the 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, were capable of plunging the state into an unimaginable crisis.

The Appeal Court, on July 4, ruled that Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers in his faction remained members of the state House of Assembly, voiding the earlier High Court order which restrained the lawmakers.

Following the judgment, Amaewhule, while presiding over plenary on Monday, gave Fubara a seven-day ultimatum to re-present the 2024 Appropriation Bill before the House.

Responding on Wednesday, Fubara, while receiving on a solidarity visit, the leadership structure, critical stakeholders, opinion leaders, women and youths of Etche and Omuma Local Government Areas, said Amaewhule and others were no longer members of the state Assembly.

He told his visitors that he would not present the 2024 budget again, adding that he had already initiated the 2025 budget which would focus on healthcare, education and agriculture.

The Convener of the Coalition, High Chief Sunnie Chukumele, however, warned the Amaewhule-led Assembly on Thursday, against inviting anarchy to the state.

While addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt on Thursday, Chukumele expressed worry that the political crisis in the state, rather than improving, had nose-dived to what it was before the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.

“We call on Martin Amaewhule and his colleagues to jettison the idea of impeaching the governor of the state.

“We advise them that the impacts of the consequences of their threats should only be imagined. Let Amaewhule and his colleagues not ignite a fire that they can never have the capacity to contain. They are inviting anarchy,” the group said.

He called on Tinubu to prevail on Wike, whom the leaders alleged was contributing to the tension in the state.

“Our son, the FCT Minister, can be said to be sufficiently linked to the unabating political crisis in his home state, Rivers State. The situation created in our dear state is unacceptable, and regrettable and has consequences of throwing the state into an irredeemable crisis of unimaginable proportions.

“We call on our son, the FCT Minister, once more to rein in his henchmen and foot soldiers in the political crisis in the state, particularly the recalcitrant wing of the state legislature loyal to him, and as well the immediate-past local government chairmen whose activities in the state are becoming felonious.

“On behalf of the entire people of Rivers State, home and abroad, we sternly call on the President, who our son, Nyesom Wike, is serving under in Abuja, to call him to order henceforth, and that we say enough is enough,” Chukumele said.

The coalition also called on the judiciary to apply wisdom on matters concerning Rivers brought before them, noting that public opinions on their management of matters emanating from the state were negative.

“We also once again call out the judiciary to employ and apply extreme wisdom on matters concerning Rivers State brought before them. The public opinion on their management of matters emanating from Rivers State is negative.

“The National Judicial Council should, as a matter of urgency, save the image of the judiciary by also taking cognisance of impact assessment on matters the courts are handling concerning burning issues in Rivers State,” Chukumele said.

The coalition reiterated its support for the Fubara-led administration and urged the governor not to lose focus in the discharge of his constitutional mandate of delivering good governance for Rivers people.