•Warn against another impeachment move against Fubara
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) and some stakeholders in Rivers State have decried fresh political wrangling in the state between the legislature and the executive despite the peace accord signed on the instance of President Bola Tinubu.
INC through its worldwide President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, expressed worry that despite Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s commitment towards implementing his part of the peace agreement, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has allegedly continued to attack the governor and his supporters through the 26 House of Assembly lawmakers led by Martins Amaewhule.
The INC President, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, said that the current political scenario was for the State House of Assembly to proceed with impeachment notice on the governor.
Okaba, however, warned that the Ijaw nations in Niger Delta and beyond will not tolerate or accept further oppressive moves by Wike and his cohorts against the governor.
The Guardian learnt that the political crisis in the state has continued unabated despite the peace pact initiated by Tinubu. Findings show that Fubara has complied with almost his part of the agreement except for the presentation of the 2024 budget afresh to the state Assembly.
The Commissioner of Information and Communication, Joe Johnson, confirmed that the governor, in compliance with the agreement, has withdrawn all cases in court, expressing dismay that the Wike-led group rather took their cases to the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Amaewhule, has said that lawmakers were surprised that Fubara withheld his assent to four bills recently passed into law.
The four bills include the Rivers State House of Assembly Fund Management Bill, the Rivers State Local Government Law (Amendment) Bill, the Rivers State Traditional Rulers’ Law (Amendment) Bill, and the Rivers State Advertisement and Use of State-owned Property Prohibition (Repeal) Bill.
Recall that Fubara, in letters written to the House of Assembly, stated that such amendments would create confusion and breach constitutional provisions.
Consequently, the House, at its 99th legislative session, decided to override the rejection of the four bills by the governor, citing Section 100 (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as altered.
(Guardian)
