…Johnson says state’ll sink into ‘unimaginable crisis’
Rivers State Government has warned of catastrophic consequences if the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly goes ahead to impeach Siminalayi Fubara and Ngozi Odu as the governor and deputy governor of the state.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chief Joe Johnson, handed down the warning on Monday at a press conference he called to respond to notice of impeachment served on the governor and his deputy by the House of Assembly.
The commissioner said despite the governor’s sincere determination to implement the judgment of the Supreme Court, which recognized the Amaewhule faction of the House of Assembly, the assembly members had obstructed each effort by the governor to seek rapprochement between himself and the legislators.
He said the obstruction by the legislators was pushing the state towards a precipice, and an impeachment would be the final push of the legislators.
Since the initial impeachment attempt on October 30, 2023, Johnson said Governor Fubara had consistently projected an image of peace and adherence to the rule of law. His acceptance of the Supreme Court’s ruling, even the unfavorable aspects, was presented as a testament to his commitment to the people of Rivers State, he said.
His statewide broadcast offering to implement the Supreme Court judgment, the swift actions of RSIEC in scheduling new local government elections, and his repeated attempts to present the 2025 budget were all portrayed as evidence of his willingness to comply with the court’s directives, the commissioner alluded.
However, he said the Assembly’s response has been characterized by defiance and confrontation, adding that they issued ultimatums, warrants of arrest, and challenged the legality of the governor’s appointments, and even accused the Chief Judge of age falsification, bypassing established judicial oversight.
Governor Fubara’s attempts at reconciliation, including invitations to the Assembly and personal letters to the Speaker, were met with rejection; his attempts to present the budget were thwarted, and his letters were refused acknowledgement, Johnson further added.
“They claim we haven’t presented the budget but they refuse to receive our letters. They challenge us to provide proof of delivery, yet they reject our attempts. We have provided proof of delivery through publication in national papers,” the commissioner pointed out.
The House of Assembly announcement of an indefinite recess has further escalated the crisis as the government warned of dire consequences, including economic collapse due to frozen federal allocations, unpaid salaries and pensions, and a breakdown of essential services.
“The harsh reality is that people will suffer,” Johnson emphasized. “This is not just about politics; it’s about the welfare of our people. Impeachment at this time would be a disaster for all.”
The state government nevertheless appealed to the legislators to rethink their resolve to impeach the governor and save the state from catastrophe.
“Should this opportunity to pull the state from the precipice fail, the people and residents of the state without exception are bound to suffer avoidable calamities of economic, social and political upheavals that might sink us deeper into unimaginable crises,” Johnson said.
Meanwhile, the Defence for Human Rights and Democracy (DHRD) has appealed to the House of Assembly to rescind its move to remove the governor and return to the negotiation table.
In a press statement, its Chairman, Mr. Clifford Christopher Solomon, expressed deep worry over the deteriorating political crisis in the state principally between Governor Siminilayi Fubara, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.
He called on the feuding parties to work towards harmoniously implementing the judgment of the Supreme Court in the interest of the state.
“The most affected in the whole political crisis are the impoverished masses who are struggling to put food on the table.
“The seizure of the Rivers State Federal allocation has halted the smooth running of governance in the state. State government workers will not be receiving salaries and the same with the local government workers.
“DHRD therefore calls on the governor, Wike and the Rivers State house of assembly members to return to the negotiation table to resolve whatever are the issues and pave way for the smooth running of governance in the state for the benefit of all,” Solomon appealed.
