Rivers State lawmakers have revealed why they insisted on impeaching Governor Siminalayi Fubara his deputy Ngozi Odu.
According to Hon Looloo Opuende who represents Akuku Toru constituency 11, while efforts were being made by stakeholders and some members of the Assembly to seek a political solution to the ongoing political crisis in the state, Governor Fubara was allegedly working underground to induce their constituents to recall them from the Assembly.
Speaking during a press conference at the temporary Assembly complex on Aba road, Port Harcourt on Friday, Opuende alleged that “while the impeachment process was going on, the governor was busy paying our constituents to withdraw us from the Assembly. Is that the right thing to do?
“If you wanted peace, you should have called the leadership of the Assembly and discuss with them on the right way to go. Impeachment is a constitutional matter. I support and urge the speaker to reconstitute the House for the process to continue”, he said.
The lawmaker stated that those who were issuing threat messages and saying that the impeachment should not go on should find out the root cause of the problem between the executive and the legislative arms of the state government.
When contacted for confirmation that the governor had been paying some unidentified persons to recall the lawmakers, the senior special assistant to the governor on political matters, Dr. Darlington Oji simply replied, “I am not aware”.
Orji had earlier in an interview alleged that members of the Rivers State House of Assembly received N350m each for constituency projects, despite claims by some lawmakers that certain payments to them were not appropriated.
He also noted that the N100,000 Christmas welfare last December was extended to them though some of the lawmakers rejected the offer because it was not appropriated. ”They rejected it that it was not appropriated. You cannot build something on nothing.
“Now, you rejected it because N100,000 was not appropriated. Can you ask them, the N350m naira that was given to each of them for their constituency project, where did it come from? Why did they not reject it since it was not appropriated?”
Four of the lawmakers who earlier called for the withdrawal of the impeachment proceedings and seek political solution to end the crisis have rescinded from that position.
Hon Emilia Lucky Amadi, representing Obio/Akpor constituency 11 in a press conference on Friday said, “We had earlier opted for a political solution to the problem but the governor and the deputy governor are adamant. There are strong indications that they still want to continue with illegal actions in the state.
“We consider this a slap to the Supreme Court and we must defend the institution of the legislature.”
Also, Hon Barile Nwakoh of Khana constituency 1 alleged that the strategy of the governor and his deputy is “to continue to intimidate us into withdrawing the process while they continue with the infractions on the constitution and the law. This is very bad to our democracy. On this note, we must proceed with the process.”
Recall that on Thursday, January 8, the Assembly issued an impeachment notice on the governor and the deputy on gross misconduct bordering on extra-budgetary spending exceeding N800 billion without legislative approval, withholding statutory funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, demolition of the Assembly complex and alleged defiance of Supreme Court rulings on legislative autonomy.
During plenary on Friday, the House under the supervision of the speaker, Martins Amaewhule subjected the matter to voting on whether the governor and his deputy should be investigated and 25 lawmakers voted in favour of the motion with none against.
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