Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has asked Governor Siminalayi Fubara to choose between resignation and impeachment.
Fubara had invited the 27 lawmakers, loyalists of his estranged benefactor to a meeting at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Monday.
The invitation was sent after the expiration of the 48-hour ultimatum issued to the governor to present the 2025 budget.
The assembly had earlier issued another ultimatum for Fubara to sack commissioners and board members not screened by the House.
It also summoned the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
A letter dated 9th March, signed by Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo and addressed to Speaker Mathew Amaewhule, stated that the governor had received the Supreme Court judgment and was ready to meet with the legislators.
The agenda includes discussions on providing a befitting space for assembly sittings, payment of outstanding allowances, budget presentation and other relevant issues.
The Supreme Court’s recent judgment, expected to end the prolonged political crisis in Rivers State, has instead deepened the turmoil, with both factions interpreting the ruling to their advantage.
At the briefing, Okocha accused the governor of abusing the rule of law.
“The invitation to the lawmakers is a Greek Gift. The Supreme Court Judgement is final. There is nothing anybody can do about it. The only option available to the Governor now is for him to resign or be impeached,” Okocha stated.
While commenting on the factionalisation of Rivers Assembly last year, Okocha had said the Nigerian constitution recognized the three arms of government such as the Executive, Judiciary and Legislative, saying the governor has no constitutional power to declare duly elected members of the state Assembly non-existent.
“We have directed members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to commence the impeachment process of a comatose government. The Governor’s head has become bigger than his pillow. He does not respect the law.
”He does anything he cares to do. We will not sit here as Rivers people to see Rivers State become a laughing stock in the comity of states, when we have a Governor who does not know his left from his right.
“A state as crucial and all-important as Rivers State churned out a dunderhead. We cannot accept that. Our charge to the Assembly is to immediately commence an impeachment. And if they don’t do that there is what they call party discipline. We shall invoke the relevant section of the constitution.
“You know the history of politics. You know the constitution of Nigeria. The Governor said the Assembly members do not exist, that whatever thing they are doing is because he allowed them. In other words he has re-written the books. Elementary politics taught us the three organs of government and their roles. And goes further to talk about the separation of powers and checks and balances. Now what the Governor was implying clearly is that he is ruling Rivers State without laws.”
He added, “That Rivers State runs on executive arm and judiciary. So what that implies is simply absurdity. You can now see the tendencies of a dictator. As an opposition party in Rivers State, we will not keep quiet, we will shout. Regrettably, the Governor has taken up to this point and we will not take it. The Governor was unambiguous in his deliberate attempt to denigrate the person of Mr President.
“What section of the constitution empowers the Governor to declare the Assembly non-existent? The role of the Governor is proclamation of the Assembly which is done once in four years. The constitution doesn’t allow him for quarterly proclamation of the Assembly. He dissolved the House and proclaimed the Assembly at the end of the tenure of the Assembly. Mind you the Assembly we are talking about is a representative of the people, they were duly elected. They are not his appointees. So where did the Governor derive his powers to say that the Assembly is non-existent.”
