The Rivers State Elders’ Council has knocked the renewed threat of impeachment against Governor, Siminalayi Fubara by members of the state House of Assembly, allegedly loyal to Nyesom Wike.
The council said that the 27 lawmakers lacked the legitimacy to take any action, adding that, the Wike’s loyalists had lost their seats by defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
Recall that the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers had, on Saturday, threatened to revisit the impeachment proceedings against Fubara as a last resort to uphold the nation’s constitution.
However, reacting to the threat in an interview with PUNCH over the weekend, a member of the Rivers Elders’ Council, High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, described the impeachment threat as mere ranting.
Sara-Igbe noted that the lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of the pro-Wike lawmakers was pending before the Court of Appeal.
He said: “Well we are appearing before the Court of Appeal on April 8, 2024. When we appear, then we will know where they are. They are only ranting because they are an illegitimate House of Assembly.
“The governor himself does not have the power to legitimise them. For the sake of peace, he just gave them little recognition and they are now ranting and doing what they like.
“It is quite unfortunate. If you tell the governor the implication of these things he does not believe that these people that you think are making peace don’t mean well. But as I said, we are in court; so, let them continue to rant. We will see where it will end and the proud will be humiliated within a short while.
READ MORE: Rivers Assembly Threatens To Resume Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara
“Let them do whatever they like but I can assure you everything they are doing is illegal.”
“As far as we are concerned, all the eight-point agenda that was signed are illegal. And that is why we are in court to contest it. So, when a matter is before a court, it means the status quo remains.
“So, if they refuse to do that, then the court will take its own stand. You don’t take the laws into your own hands when you are in court. The governor cannot present any budget when we are in court.
“So, if they feel that they are more than the court, then the court should take a decision on it. But so far as we are concerned, we need the legal implication whether or not they are legitimate members of the House of Assembly.”
