The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is embroiled in a fresh crisis over calls for the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
While the Tony Okocha-led faction, recognized by the national leadership of the APC, has demanded that Fubara resign or face impeachment, the Emeka Beke-led faction, loyal to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, has pushed back, dismissing Okocha’s claims as baseless
Amid the political standoff, Naija News reports that Governor Fubara on Monday assured Rivers residents that the state would emerge stronger despite the challenges, urging them to remain peaceful and law-abiding.
His plea came on the same day that Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and 26 lawmakers shunned a peace meeting convened by the governor at the Government House.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, APC factional chairman Tony Okocha declared, “The APC remains the major opposition party in Rivers State. We are the voice of the voiceless. When we said Fubara is clueless, we were not joking. The evidence is clear.”
Okocha also dismissed Fubara’s recent invitation to lawmakers for a peace meeting, calling it inconsequential.
He further stated, “The governor behaves like a puritan, but he’s a dangerous snake. His meeting agenda with the lawmakers is puerile. Is he inviting them to discuss the Supreme Court judgment? And why was the invitation letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government instead of the governor himself? It’s an aberration.”
Okocha insisted that Fubara must step down or face impeachment for allegedly running the state aground and disrespecting President Tinubu.
The factional chairman stated, “The options before Fubara are two: he should honorably resign or be impeached because he has mismanaged the state and disrespected Mr. President.”
He further warned that Fubara’s position was precarious, claiming that the Supreme Court’s findings were sufficient grounds for impeachment.
Okocha added, “If he refuses to resign, he will be impeached. I don’t need to be a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly to know the numerous impeachable offences he has committed. There is no government in Rivers State.”
Amaechi’s Loyalists Fire Back At Okocha
The Beke-led APC faction, loyal to Rotimi Amaechi, has dismissed Okocha’s remarks, arguing that the courts have invalidated his own leadership.
APC Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju accused Okocha of operating illegally, stating that his caretaker committee (CTC) was nullified by the courts.
Nwauju further accused Okocha of disregarding judicial orders, claiming that he only remains in office due to backing from political forces.
Reacting to the call by Okocha for Fubara to resign immediately or be impeached, Nwauju said in a message he sent by WhatsApp to newsmen: “Our response — recall that part of the grounds which the Supreme Court latched on to sustain the FHC judgment which nullified the local government elections in Rivers State was that elections went ahead despite the judgment of court stopping the process.
“Now, our question is, if we are not a people suffering from collective amnesia in Rivers State, why must a Tony Okocha, who is still parading himself as chairman of the APC in Rivers against the judgment of court, now be the person pontificating over abuse of or disobedience to court process?
“What kind of physician goes about healing others while being in need of a health emergency? 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.”
On attack on Fubara, Nwauju accused Okocha of inability to account for his time at the NDDC since his ‘unfortunate’ appointment.
He added, “He steadily deploys reverse psychology to pull the wool over the eyes of Rivers people in order to hide his visionless stray into the NDDC.”
