The All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State chapter, has demanded that the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara be halted.
In a statement issued over the weekend by its spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, the party described the development as a legislative coup d’etat.
The party shared its reservations while asking Rivers Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, to respect the High Court’s interim order stopping the Rivers State House of Assembly from initiating impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Oyigbo, Oyigbo local government area of the state, had last Friday issued an interim injunction restraining the Chief Judge of the state from receiving, forwarding, considering and or however acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other document or communication from the State House of Assembly.
Nwauju said, “We call on the Honourable Chief Judge of Rivers State, to respect yesterday’s interim injunction in Suit No OYHC/7/CS/2026 that restrained him from receiving/acting on the resolutions of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“We have painstakingly analysed the issues leading up to the latest step taken today by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly by electing to proceed with the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Prof Ngozi Ordu.
“Regrettably, we note that Honourable members who trumpeted loyalty to our party and Mr President can give themselves to the unfolding choreographed legislative coup d’etat against the collective interest, growth and development of our party in the state.
“We warn again that this is a needless legislative overreach having observed the recalcitrance on the part of members of the House of Assembly, including ‘APC’ members.
“It is common knowledge that the Legislature is empowered under Section 129 and 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to conduct impeachment. As the ruling party in Rivers State, we are equally aware of the provisions of paragraph (11) of Section 188, which is subject to political interpretation by the Legislature, as that paragraph is neither normative nor objective because act(s) that constitute “gross misconduct” is/are what only the legislature deems to be misconduct.
“Thus, no matter how beautifully crafted the allegations against the Governor and his Deputy are, they are still very subjective in the court of public opinion.
“This unfortunate path chosen by the legislative arm, therefore, serves as a dangerous footnote to the health and survival of the APC in Rivers State.
“Finally, we call on the national leadership of the party to immediately activate internal mechanisms available to the National Working Committee under Article 21(b)(iii) of the 2022 Constitution (as amended) to save our dear party from an embarrassing situation.”