By Emma Sunday, Port Harcourt
The 10th Rivers State House of Assembly has threatened to resume fresh impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, if he continues to breach the constitution and the laws of the State.
Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, made the threat on Saturday during a press conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital.
Amaewhule, who was accompanied by 26 members of the Assembly, read out a 10 points communique issued after the briefing, accused the governor of dishonesty by refusing to hold up to his end of the Presidential Peace Accord which he wilfully signed without coercion.
He explained that the Assembly withdrew it’s impeachment notice against Governor Fubara out of respect for President Tinubu and with hope that the governor will have a change of heart.
He said the Assembly will leave no stone unturned in their resolve to make a positive difference in legislation, oversight functions and effective representation.
He words, “It is worthy of note that the notice of impeachment of the Governor was quickly withdrawn by members of the House in fulfilment of the terms of the agreement and out of immense respect for the person and office of the President of the Federal Republic and believing that there would be a u-turn in terms of unlawful actions of the Governor. The reverse is now the case as we see from day to day the activities of the State Governor been conducted outside the laws of Rivers State and the Constitution.
“To this day, Rivers State remains the only State without an Appropriation Law and the Governor recklessly abandons laws of the State. These new hawks in the scene and all those who are quick to refer to the Governor as “Mr. Innocent” will not go and advise him. They prefer to hold talk shows, organize rallies, hold press conferences, and announce that the House commenced impeachment proceedings against the Governor for no just cause but fail to ask the Governor if he has not been informed of the particulars of gross misconduct levelled against him or at least read them when they were filed in Court in response to his petition.
“They must not forget that the Rivers State House of Assembly has the mandate of the people and that we swore an oath of allegiance to the Constitution to do the needful including the Impeachment of the Governor as a last resort. So, if it becomes a last resort, in accordance with the law, we will not hesitate to do so because no individual is bigger than Rivers State, including the Governor,” he said.
