A former National Publicity Secretary of the New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has issued a strong warning to the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule, advising them to abandon their plot to impeach Governor Siminilayi Fubara.
Eze believes that the lawmakers’ actions are a desperate attempt to regain relevance in the state’s politics, following their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He pointed out that their decision to leave the PDP led to the loss of authority to engage in legitimate legislative activities.
Rivers State has been experiencing political turmoil since Governor Fubara severed ties with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
According to Eze, the governor’s decision to withdraw legal defenses in response to a suit filed by Amaewhule, as directed by President Tinubu, led to a Federal High Court ruling mandating Fubara to resubmit the 2024 appropriation bill to the Amaewhule-led Assembly.
A Court of Appeal ruling subsequently affirmed this decision, which Eze believes underscores Wike’s defiance of President Tinubu’s directive.
Eze urged Wike and his associates to accept the straightforward interpretation of the Court’s decision, which he believes is clear and not open to misinterpretation. He also emphasized that the ruling did not address the status of the seats held by the former lawmakers who had defected and voluntarily relinquished their positions upon leaving the PDP, the party under which they were elected.
These seats were declared vacant on December 13, 2023, by the then-Speaker of the Assembly, RT. Hon. Edison Ehie.
Eze warned that section 109(i)(g) of the 1999 Constitution automatically takes effect upon a member’s defection and that the Court of Appeal’s ruling does not restore the former lawmakers to their lost seats.
Eze cautioned that judges must be wary of being drawn into partisan politics and that the current situation could lead to crisis and chaos in the state.
Eze called on Amaewhule and his co-travellers to be realistic and not misinterpret the Court’s ruling, stating that the question of whether or not the 27 former lawmakers have not lost their seats by virtue of their defection is still pending before the courts.
He urged them to focus on burying their attempt to impeach the governor, as it would ultimately backfire on them. Instead, he cautioned them to be mindful of the orders they take from Wike, as he does not mean well for the state and its people.
