The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned the Rivers State governor Sim Fubara against abrogating the nation’s constitution and turning himself to “despot-in-chief of the Rivers state House of Assembly.”
The ruling party also counseled the governor to submit himself to the dictates of the Constitution and the rule of law.
There have been political crisis in Rivers State between the governor and 27 State lawmakers loyal to the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.
Addressing a press conference Friday in Abuja, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, accused governor Fubara of conducting the business of government in Rivers State in total contempt of the state legislature.
According to him, the Governor expends the state’s resources without regard to appropriation and public procurement laws.
“The Governor has unlawfully withheld local governments funds as a punitive measure against perceived opponents, and only recently, directed that all heads and officials of the 23 Local Government Areas should ignore the summons of the State Assembly as he threatened to sack officials who flouted his directive.
“Governor Fubara cannot abrogate the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He cannot be governor and be despot-in-chief of the Rivers state House of Assembly, at the same time. Attempting to impose an illegal 3-man House of Assembly is executive lawlessness in the extreme. Governor Fubara’s quest to repudiate the Constitution and govern in denial of the existence of the state legislature is, in and of itself, among other grounds, an impeachable offense.
“We strongly counsel Governor Fubara to submit himself to the dictates of the Constitution and the rule of law. In any and all contests between Governor Fubara and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Constitution shall prevail, always. The good people of Rivers state deserve so much more than the seemingly unending chicanery of Governor Fubara.”
Responding to the call on the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Govenor Siminalayi Fubara, Morka said if the governor’s declaration that the House of Assembly is nonexistent is based on the fact that the 27 members who decamped from PDP to APC have lost their seats, then Governor Fubara is sorely misled.
“Contrary to PDP’s assertions, it is not APC that is calling for the impeachment of Governor Fubara. Rather, by his egregious actions, conduct and infantile comments, Fubara is actively and vehemently precipitating his own impeachment.
“Governor Fubara’s declaration that the Rivers State House of Assembly does not exist is not only reckless, it is a direct affront to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The House of Assembly is a creation of the Constitution, and vested with the legislative authority of the state. The members of the Assembly were elected by the good people of Rivers state in the same manner that Fubara was elected Governor.
“The Assembly does not exist at the Governor’s pleasure or fanciful whims. The legislature is at the core of the idea of democracy. It is co-equal with the executive and judicial arms of government. The constitutionally entrenched principle of separation of powers among the three arms of government guarantees essential checks and balances required to ensure observance of the rule of law. The rule of law is indispensable to democracy and constitutional order.”
