The Rivers state chapter of the All-progressives Congress, APC, has alleged that the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is plotting to procure interim orders to declare the state house of assembly illegal in a bid stop the implementation of laws passed by the State House of Assembly and with enough votes to override the governor’s vetoes.
Lawmakers from the APC said they observed that more than the constitutionally required 30 days had elapsed since they sent the notice of the amendment to the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission law to the governor for his assent.
At a press conference in Port Harcourt on Thursday, April 4th, 2024, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of APC in Rivers, Chief Tony Okocha, alleged that the governor is planning to engage some judges to obtain the interim order as to announce as illegal the Rivers State House of Assembly as constituted and led by Hon. Martin Amaehwule.
“I want to use this opportunity to inform Rivers’ people and Nigerians of the move by the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to procure interim orders from Judges that I may not name here, but I will put in my petition today to the National Judicial Council.”
“He wants to procure interim order stopping the implementation of the laws which he was vetoed over. He wants to procure an order to announce as illegal the Rivers State House of Assembly as constituted and as led by Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule. The Governor is in the business as we speak, and I speak with all authority because the walls have ears.
“These are the plans that are on, and he is doing that so that he will now leverage on that order to go ahead to appoint caretaker committees in local government against the warning of the man he says he respects, the President.
“But let me put it clearly here that we will stoutly, vehemently oppose such negative subterranean moves by a man who ought to protect the dignity and integrity of a state called Rivers. Rivers State cannot be turned to a pariah because of cluelessness of one person. Rivers State is a state to be reckoned with in the comity of nations, highly respected and regarded.”
“But see how dangerously we have fallen because we have a Governor that does not understand his left from his right. So, we to put out this clearly to Nigerians and to Rivers people that we will stoutly disobey that. The gift according to Frantz Fanon that I like so much, the gift to an intransigence government is civil disobedience.
“If the Government of Siminalayi Fubara tends towards intransigence, then he will meet with civil disobedience. It is just natural,” the APC leader said.
Also, the state’s main opposition party said Fubara’s outburst on Wednesday while addressing members of the Nigerian union of local government employees at the government house in Port-Harcourt, was disrespectful to President Bola Tinubu.
Fubara, while referring to his alleged detractors and the political crisis in the state, was quoted as saying “if you dare me, I will surprise you.”
The governor who also urged members of the NULGE in the state to prepare and brace up, was also heard saying, “the next phase is fire for fire.”
