Rivers Crisis: Why Fubara Can Be Impeached, Wike Breaks Silence
- Former Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike has said nothing will happen should the state house of assembly sack Governor Siminalayi Fubara
- Wike, in an interview on Wednesday, March 12, explained that if the governor committed an impeachable offence, it would not be a crime if the lawmakers decided to impeach him
- He stressed that impeachment was provided for in the constitution and dismissed the threat of violence that would happen should Fubara be impeached
Port Harcourt, Rivers - Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers state, has said that heaven will not fall should his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, be removed by the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
Wike, who is serving as the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) commented during a media chat in Abuja on Wednesday, March 12. He said nothing was wrong if the lawmakers decided to impeach the governor for alleged impeachable offence, which included withholding their salaries for months.
Why Governor Fubara can be impeached
The minister noted that if the governor committed an offence that deserved an impeachment, nothing wrong. He stressed that the constitution made provision for impeachment should the governor commit a criminal offence. He stated that he was not a member of the assembly.
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His comment reads:
“If you have committed an infraction of the constitution and the Assembly deems it fit to say, you should be impeached.
“I have heard people say: ‘Oh, if they impeach him, there will be a breakdown of law and order’. Rubbish! Nothing will happen.”
According to Wike, if the Amaewhule-led House was not ready for peace, the state assembly would have commenced six-month recess immediately after the Supreme Court judgment. He dismissed the letter written by the governor to the assembly, adding that the governor should have done better.
Supreme Court ruled on Rivers crisis
Legit.ng recalled that the Supreme Court on Friday, February 28, handed a series of judgments on the political crisis rocking the south-south state.
Justice Emmanuel Akomaye-led five-man panel of the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Governor Fubara. The governor has challenged the validity of the House of Assembly-led by Amaewhule as the Speaker.
The court ordered the seizure of the state allocation until it adhered to the court ruling and condemned his fragrance disobedience of the court order. The Supreme Court also ruled that the local government election conducted by Fubara on October 5, 2024, was not valid.
Reacting to the judgment, Governor Fubara promised to fully implement the Supreme Court judgment and directed that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) work on how to conduct a fresh local government election.
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Wike vs Fubara: Niger Delta groups issued threat
Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government has been warned by the INC, IYC and other groups that oil production would be destabilised in Rivers should Governor Siminalayi Fubara be impeached.
According to the groups, the lawmakers loyal to former governor and FCT minister Nyesom Wike should not use the Supreme Court judgment as a ground to impeach the governor.
The lawmakers, whose authority was affirmed by the Supreme Court, earlier issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the governor to represent the 2025 budget.
