The unity in the political camp of former Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has been shattered throwing the state into a crisis that could lead to a constitutional situation.
Two factions of the House of Assembly emerged on Monday, with two speakers, taking conflicting decisions. The one loyal to Wike and under the speakership of Martin Amaewhule removed the Majority Leader, Edison Ehie, and went on to serve an impeachment notice on Governor Fubara.
The other faction, loyal to Fubara, impeached speaker Amaewhule and elected Ehie as speaker. It went on to suspend the Chief Judge, Chukwudi Amadi, and directed the Governor to appoint an acting Chief judge. Apparently, this was done to forestall the Chief Judge from constituting a panel to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor. It also dissolved the local governments coucils and directed the governor to appoint caretaker committees.
Residents of Port Harcourt woke up on Monday to the news that the House of Assembly complex on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt had been bombed. This followed speculations about a plot by members of the House of Assembly to remove the Majority Leader as a prelude to impeaching the Governor.
Reactions from Government House confirmed that there was trouble in government. The governor sacked the Camp Commander Government House and the Chief of Staff, both said to have been imposed on him by Wike.
An attempt by the governor to visit the burnt house of Assembly was frustrated by security operatives deployed to the vicinity. Fubara returned to Government House to address a multitude of protesters, whom he told that the Deputy Commissioner of Police had shot directly at him when he approached the House of Assembly.
He asked those wanting to impeach him to show justification for their action. “The truth is that everybody who knows me know that I am a peaceful person,” saying he could not have been part of the destruction of the House of Assembly complex.
Meanwhile, reactions have been coming about the developments in Port Harcourt. Niger Delta leader, Edwin Clark, said he was “greatly disturbed” by the developments in Port Harcourt and asked President Bola Tinubu to call to order the Minister of Federal Capital, Nyesom Wike, who he accused of masterminding the crisis.
Rivers State Council of Elders led by Henry Aguma and Mike Lube asked Wike to “allow Sim Fubara to breathe”.
Rivers State Indigenous NGOs and Civil Society Network led by Tombari Dumka-Kote asked the feuding parties to “sheathe their swords and give peace a chance in the interest of the state and wellbeing of the citizens.”
Former Commissioner for Information on the state, Ibim Semenitari, was rather cautious saying, “It is one Rivers State , One People under God.”
