The Peoples Democratic Celebration and the Rivers Climate Govt on Monday kicked towards the decision through a faction of the All Progressives Congress for the retirement or impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The advance comes as Fubara stated he would now not be deterred through blackmails from the ones pushing to disrupt governance throughout the instigation of political crises within the atmosphere.
He warned towards any work of lawlessness and insisted that his trail would stay excited by making sure amusement.
“I need to say to our teeming supporters, I do know a few of you, your spirits are prime, some others, your spirits are low.
“I need to ensure you, it doesn’t subject what the condition may well be nowadays, we will be able to arise once more more potent and higher.
“Please continue to follow my footstep, and that footstep remains the path of peace. We need it because if anything happens, we are the greatest losers,” Fubara declared.
The APC faction dependable to former Governor Nyesom Wike had known as for the governor’s retirement or impeachment, mentioning a couple of alleged offences.
The opposition birthday party, led through Well-known Tony Okocha, additionally brushed aside the governor’s invitation to a reconciliatory assembly with the Martin Amaewhule-led Space of Meeting as a “Greek gift.”
Fubara, in a letter signed through the Secretary to the Climate Govt, Dr Tammy Danagogo, on Sunday, invited the lawmakers for discussion on Monday, following the Ideal Court docket’s ruling that validated the 27 legislators because the original Meeting participants.
Reacting to the invitation on Sunday, one of the most lawmakers, Isaiah Opuende, who represents Akuru-Toru Constituency 2, blasted Fubara for the usage of social media channels.
Calling for Fubara’s retirement, Okocha, in his cope with to newshounds in Port Harcourt on Monday, accused the governor of disrespecting President Bola Tinubu and failing to enforce the eight-point answer previous eager to get to the bottom of the catastrophe.
He questioned if the governor had crooked over backwards next a prolonged grandstanding.
The APC chieftain described Fubara as “clueless” and insisted that the one viable possibility left for him used to be to both surrender honourably or face impeachment.
“The choices ahead of Siminalayi Joseph Fubara are two: he must honourably surrender or be impeached as a result of he has run the atmosphere aground and disrespected Mr President.
“The invitation to the lawmakers is a Greek reward. The Ideal Court docket judgment is ultimate. There may be not anything any one can do about it.
“The only option available to the governor now is for him to resign or be impeached. And he should be honourable about it,” he stated.
He said, “The APC residue the most important opposition birthday party in Rivers Climate. We’re the accentuation of the unvoiced. Once we stated Siminalayi Fubara used to be clueless, we weren’t joking. The proof is sunlit.
“The governor behaves like a saint, however he’s a deadly snake. His assembly schedule with the lawmakers is puerile. Is he inviting them to speak about the Ideal Court docket judgment?
“And why was the invitation letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, instead of the governor himself? It’s an aberration. As far as I’m concerned, it is a Greek Gift.”
Well-known Okocha famous that the birthday party would now not rise idly through and observe the governor working the atmosphere aground together with his taste of governance.
He warned that the governor’s endured keep in place of business may manage to political instability within the atmosphere, likening the condition to a “keg of gunpowder” able to .
Responding, the Rivers Climate Commissioner for Knowledge and Communications, Joseph Johnson, brushed aside Okocha’s feedback, mentioning that he lacked the authority to talk to the behalf of the APC management. Johnson described Okocha as an ‘impostor’ whose elimination because the atmosphere APC chairman have been showed through the court docket.
He additional said that the decision for impeachment used to be baseless, because the governor had demonstrated his loyalty to amusement through attaining out to the lawmakers for discussion.
The commissioner said, “I’ve determined to not be reckoning with what Well-known Okocha says as a result of he’s now not a constant individual. He doesn’t have any ethical disciplines to produce that decision (impeachment) as a result of so far as the regulation is anxious, he’s an impostor.
“A Rivers State High Court has long removed him from office. So, I think that he’s dangerously looking for relevance and I don’t think that he deserves it from this government.”
Talking additional, he stated “This isn’t the primary week, at some time he stated he used to be going to invite participants of his birthday party who had been within the Space to invoke an impeachment continuing. No longer too lengthy, he recanted
“So he’s now not a person of his pledge. No one is speaking about impeachment.
“An impeachment is not even on the table. The government is open to discussing with the Assembly members.”
The PDP described Okocha’s stance as “hallucination.”
In an interview with The PUNCh, the PDP’s Nationwide Exposure Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, accused the APC faction of making an attempt to form useless political pressure.
He requested the opposition birthday party within the atmosphere to concentrate on addressing nationwide demanding situations, instead than fuelling political crises within the atmosphere.
Ologunagba known as on Okocha to do business in with the problems regarding his chairmanship of the APC in Rivers and loose Fubara out of his troubles.
He stated, “The person you might be speaking about has a batch of problems to do business in with, one in all which is his declare to the chairmanship of the APC in Rivers Climate.
“All we will say is that the person is hallucinating. He’s in a dream international and we will’t prohibit him from dreaming.
“Alternatively, he will have to be informed that impeachment is a constitutional procedure and now not what you simply holiday and dream about.
“In lieu of Governor Fubara, Okocha must assistance his birthday party recall to mind find out how to do business in with the unhappiness they’ve introduced on Nigerians.
“Nigerians are being made to pay exorbitant tariffs in energy and telecoms and life has never been this hellish. This is what should bother him and his party, the APC.”
Ologunagba added that Fubara remained frequent a few of the humans of Rivers Climate.
“He has disagree locus standi to inform Governor Fubara to surrender since the Rivers humans are more than happy with him.
“They’re happy with the paintings he’s doing. In an excessively decrease length, he has impacted the humans of Rivers Climate in a fashion that merits our collective applause.
“Governor Fubara was elected to lead his people and he is doing that excellently,” he added.
In an unique interview with The PUNCH, the PDP Deputy Nationwide Formative years Chief, Timothy Osadolor, stated disagree rational individual would call for Fubara’s impeachment.
He stated the governor had firmly established himself within the atmosphere’s politics and had the backing of the humans.
“The ones calling for the impeachment of Governor Fubara don’t perceive the charter. Impeaching a appearing governor just like the Rivers Climate governor isn’t a tea birthday party.
“The stakeholders are with him, they usually comprehend it isn’t a tea birthday party to question him; he enjoys the help of the Rivers humans.
“Governor Fubara has entrenched himself within the politics of Rivers Climate. He can’t be impeached and must now not be impeached.
“Those who have said so, I believe they should retrace their steps. No sane person will move to impeach Fubara,” he added.
The atmosphere Exposure Secretary of the Emeka Beke-led APC faction, Darlington Nwauju, additionally described Okocha as an impostor benefitting from the catastrophe.
Nwauju, in a commentary despatched to our correspondent, stated, “Recall that a part of the disciplines which the Ideal Court docket latched directly to maintain the Federal Prime Court docket judgment which nullified the native executive elections in Rivers Climate used to be that the election went forward regardless of the court docket judgment preventing the method.
“Now, our query is – if we don’t seem to be a humans struggling collective amnesia in Rivers Climate, why will have to a Tony Okocha, who continues to be parading himself as chairman of the APC in Rivers towards the judgment of the court docket, now be the individual pontificating over abuse of or disobedience to court docket procedure?
“What sort of doctor is going about recovery others occasion desiring a fitness situation?
“The likes of Tony Okocha are conflict entrepreneurs as far as the political saga in Rivers State is concerned and posterity will not forget the ignoble roles he is playing in dismantling democracy and the rule of law in Rivers State,” Nwauju, the spokesman of the faction dependable to the previous Minister of Shipping, Rotimi Amaechi, stated.
Fubara urges peace
Fubara has suggested the humans to stay non violent and law-abiding within the general hobby of the atmosphere.
He spoke on the launch of the Nyeweali Akpor Kingdom palace and a grand residential quarters for the king, Eze Levi Oriebe, at Ozuoba in Obi/Akpor Native Govt Segment on Monday.
He warned towards any work of lawlessness and confident his supporters that he would pop out more potent from the catastrophe.
“Please proceed to observe my footstep, and that footstep residue the trail of amusement. We’d like it as a result of if anything else occurs, we’re the biggest losers.
“I will not encourage any act of disobedience or any act of violence. That is, however, not to say that we will support evil. We will never support evil.”
He stated his management remained excited by excellent governance and would now not renege at the word of handing over impactful, people-oriented building initiatives regularly.
Fubara regarded as the palace launch as historical, being the primary in over 200 years of the dominion’s life.
He stated he promised to create the palace 10 months in the past, all the way through the flag-off of reconstruction paintings at the Okania-Ogbogoro highway.
He stated his management accomplished the concern six months next the challenge used to be awarded for building.
“I used to be in point of fact touched to the purpose that I had a couple of drops of tears when the royal father used to be talking. He stated for over 200 years that the Akpor Kingdom has existed, it functioned with no palace.
“God doesn’t make mistakes. Maybe, He left it for our administration to build, so that we will be part of history forever in Akpor Kingdom,” Fubara stated.
He added that he now not handiest constructed a palace but additionally supplied a private place of abode for the Nyeweali.
He suggested the Obio/Akpor humans to stay supportive of his management.
The Eze Oha Apara (IV) and Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, Eze Chike Amadi Worlu-Wodo, all the way through the launch, recalled that a couple of months in the past, he benefitted from a grand palace constructed for his kingdom through the Fubara management.
Eze Worlu-Wodo, who may be the Chairman of the Rivers Climate Council of Conventional Rulers, stated the federal government used to be spending a lot to create palaces for standard rulers as it understood they had been closest leaders to the humans.
“I am glad to be here, Your Excellency, to witness your display of goodwill, respect and good intention for the traditional institution. Your Excellency, you have done well, and I must say, we are all proud of you,” he stated.
Offering the challenge description, the Commissioner for Particular Tasks, Dr Rowland Obed-Whyte, stated the development used to be awarded in August 2024, and the paintings used to be finished in six months.
RSIEC arrest warrant
The Amaewhule-led Meeting has issued an arrest warrant at the Chairman of the Rivers Climate Isolated Electoral Fee, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.) and 4 of his commissioners.
The arrest warrant adopted the expiration of the 72-hour warning given to them through the Meeting to seem ahead of it.
The Meeting participants, all the way through plenary on Monday, unanimously correct for the arrest warrant on Justice Enebeli (retd.) and 4 of his commissioners.
The Meeting, in a commentary signed through the media aide to the Speaker, Martins Wachukwu, used to be titled “Rivers Assembly wields a big stick, issues warrant of arrest to compel the attendance of Justice Enebeli (retd.) and other RSIEC commissioners.”
It learn: “Invoking its powers to factor a warrant to compel the attendance of somebody who, next having been summoned to wait, fails, refuses or neglects to wait, the Rivers Climate Space of Meeting, on Monday, at its 133rd legislative sitting, rode at the crest of Category 129(1) (d) of the 1999 Charter as amended, and resolved to display the heavy stick, through issuing a warrant of arrest at the Chairman of the Rivers Climate Isolated Electoral Fee, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), and alternative commissioners of the fee for repeated failure to seem ahead of the Space to provide an explanation for the fee’s alleged malfeasance within the behavior of the purported ill-starred fifth October 2024 Native Govt Election within the atmosphere.
“And where the commission expects to generate funds to conduct the proposed 2025 election.”
The Space resolved next 3 former commissioners within the fee who resigned their appointment not too long ago gave the impression ahead of to provide an explanation for their roles.
The Space Chief, Primary Jack, learn Category 129 (1)(d) and (2) of the 1999 Charter to remind the Space of the powers conferred on them as an Meeting through the Charter, emphasising the flagrant refusal of Justice Enebeli (retd.), and alternative participants of the fee to proclaim the summon.
Commenting at the factor ahead of hanging the query to accentuation vote, Amaewhule decried the condition the place those that gave the impression ahead of the Meeting for screening and affirmation after they had been in the hunt for to be appointed now handled summons from the Meeting with levity.
He stated Justice Enebeli (retd.) will have to be dropped at the Space for wondering at the billions of naira of Rivers humans’s cash they squandered within the guise of native executive election.
When the Speaker put the query to accentuation vote, the participants voted within the yes.
Previous, the Space had given the primary studying to 3 Expenses; the Rivers Climate Space of Meeting (Powers and Privileges) Invoice, 2025; the Rivers Climate Isolated Electoral Fee Invoice, 2025, and the Rivers Climate Native Govt Invoice, 2025.
Rivers elders interfere
A former Rivers Climate Governor and Chairman of the Rivers Elders and Leaders Discussion board, Well-known Rufus Ada-George, has known as on the entire warring factions within the raging political catastrophe within the atmosphere to sheathe their swords.
He additionally requested them to chorus from inflammatory statements, useless ultimatums and blackmails within the hobby of the atmosphere.
Talking at a information briefing on Monday, Ada-George expressed a way of loyalty to the amusement and well-being of the atmosphere and reminded the political gladiators within the catastrophe of the lavish historical past and the notable walk made over time.
“Currently, it appears that we are drifting far into the ocean. But, we still need to aim higher for peaceful co-existence and greater developments,” he stated.
The previous governor additional stated in sunny of the apparently boiling political pronouncement and judgment through the Ideal Court docket, “I assert that amusement is our last precedence.
“I call on all parties involved to immediately stop all threats, inflammatory statements, ultimatums and exercise restraint in their pronouncements to avoid escalating the fever pitch tension.”
He enjoined all to “draw courses from historical past, specifically from the next 1962 Western Regional catastrophe as not too long ago emphasized through one citizen of that segment.
“Avoidable crises of this nature, if now not unexpectedly and rather treated, will have far-reaching aftereffects now not simply in Rivers Climate however on all the society.
“We cannot afford to degenerate into such a crisis again.”
Ada-George stated even supposing the Ideal Court docket had given its verdict, there used to be nonetheless room for humane and pragmatic selections to be made.
“Already, the flashy lighting fixtures are expanding through the pace with the pronounced withholding of per 30 days allocations to the atmosphere.
“The tip product and fury are being visibly not hidden at the faces of the habitual guy in the street.
“As a people, we must constantly cultivate the attitude of compromise. Even in the most tense and war-torn regions, compromise has proven to be a powerful tool for resolving conflicts and fostering peace,” he stated.
Ada-George known as on all former governors and their deputies to talk out in the most productive hobby of Rivers Climate.
He also referred to as at the 32 participants of the legislature to prioritise the well-being of the atmosphere above non-public and sectional pursuits.
“It’s week for us to come back in combination as one cohesive, united humans in our quest for amusement and prosperity.
“Because the oldest civilian governor of Rivers Climate, I’m constructive concerning the week of our pricey atmosphere.
“I, therefore, urge you all to join me in this call to action, to work together towards a peaceful, brighter, more prosperous future for ourselves and for generations to come,” he stated.
Any other member of the Rivers Elders and Leaders Discussion board and pioneer spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Discussion board, Amabs Sara-Igbe, chided Okocha for fomenting bother.
Sara-Igbe defended the letter addressed to the Speaker of the Meeting throughout the SSG, Danagogo.
“I’m stunned that Tony Okocha, together with his stage of training, does now not know the function of the chief governor. Do the president or governor signal letters formally?
“Reputable letters are communicated throughout the secretary to the federal government whether or not federal or atmosphere. It’s now not the function of Mr President or Mr Governor to signal letters.
“There are no two governors in Rivers State. We have only one governor who is the head of the government and so if the head of the government invites you to a meeting, it is normal, it is right, except you’ll tell us we have two governors,” he stated.
He warned that any struggle to shoot the governor’s amusement overtures as an indication of illness can be resisted through the humans of the atmosphere and the Niger Delta.
“No one is praying for issues. The governor stated he’s moving to enforce the Ideal Court docket judgment. The judgment didn’t say impeach him or he must surrender, proper?
“And even if now we have problems with the Ideal Court docket judgment, it’s the absolute best court docket, so we’re moving to obey it; we’re moving to enforce it.
“However they must now not shoot that without any consideration as a result of we need to enforce the judgment, so he (Okocha) will communicate in any case.
“Rivers people will not take it lightly and Niger Delta will not take it if anything happens to Sim. Let him get it clear in his mind,” he stated.
Workforce calls for lawsuit
A non-governmental organisation, Clear Technique and Excellent Management, has given a seven-day warning to Fubara to institute a go well with towards the Meeting participants for mendacity on pledge.
The crowd stated the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers defected from the PDP to the APC.
In a letter to the governor on Monday, signed through the President Basic of the crowd, Chizy Enyi, the crowd stated if the governor failed, it might don’t have any possibility however to use for an series of mandamus to compel him to take action.
“I come up with seven days pre-action realize to prosecute the under-listed individuals who’re officers of Rivers Climate executive who lied on pledge and thereby dedicated perjury.
“The affected lawmakers are Martin Chike Amaewhule, Dumle Maol, Primary Jack, Linda, Somiari Stewart, Franklin U. Nwabocha, Christopher Okay. Ofiks and Azeru Opara.
“Others are Enemi A. George, Tonye Adoki, Granville W. Tekenari, Ngbar Bernard, John Dominic Iderima, Queen Owuma Tony, Loolo Isaiah Opuende, Abbey Peter, Igwe Obey-Aforji, Justina Emeji and Ignatius Onwuka.
“Additionally indexed are Chimezie Nwankwo, Lemchi Prince Nyevhe, Barile Nwakoh, Emilia Fortunate Amadi, Nkemjika Ezekwe, David O. Arnold, Nwankwo Sylvanus, Gerald Oforji and Wami Solomon.
“We wish to let you know that if you fail within seven days to initiate criminal prosecution against the above-mentioned persons, we will apply to the court for an order of mandamus to compel you to do so,” the commentary learn.
The crowd added that every one vital paperwork when it comes to the alleged offence “to enable you (Fubara) to prove your case beyond reasonable doubt are hereby attached.”
Plateau PDP warns
Some PDP chieftains in Plateau Climate, talking with The PUNCH in distant interviews in Jos, on Monday, condemned the decision for Fubara’s impeachment or retirement.
A member of the atmosphere PDP govt, talking on status of anonymity, described the condition in Rivers as “unfortunate.”
He warned that any struggle to question the governor can be met with resistance.
Any other birthday party chief blamed the judiciary for the catastrophe.
“The problem we are having in the country is the judiciary. If not, the Rivers lawmakers have defected to another party and everybody saw it, but the judiciary thinks otherwise. That’s the problem,” he added.