As the Rivers State House of Assembly announced the commencement of impeachment proceedings against the state Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, the Governor challenged the house to come out and tell the public what his offences are to warrant an impeachment.
The Governor made the call on Monday at the premises of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex when he addressed some of his supporters who followed him to “go and inspect the Sunday night explosion and fire at the chambers of the assembly.”
Fubara, who stated that he was directly shot at by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Operations, declared that he would resist any attempt to impeach him without justification.
He said, “For me today, whatever it is that wants to happen, let it happen. If Siminialayi Fubara is impeached, I will not be the first or the last, and I’m saying if it happens. But what is important is that any attempt that is not justified will be resisted.
“Let them tell Rivers people that offence, come out and tell the people of Rivers State, that offence that Fubara committed that is warranting impeachment.
“My happiness this morning is that the people of Rivers State, represented by every one of you here, are with us.
“Let me assure you people that we will continue to defend you people. We will protect you people and you will enjoy the dividends of democracy”.
The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by its Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, had earlier that morning, among two other motions, moved to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor for what the speaker described as “misconduct unbecoming of the person of the governor”.
The other motions were the removal from office of the Majority Leader of the House, Edison Ehie, for inability to effectively discharge his responsibilities and the suspension of two other assembly members.
The motions were voted on by only 24 out of the 32 members of the assembly.
These events happened Monday morning after the main chambers of the assembly had been burnt to ashes due to what is speculated to be fire explosives allegedly instigated by political thugs late Sunday night.
It was gathered that suspected thugs invaded the Assembly complex and attacked the building using Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), completely burning the main Chambers of the complex.
A combined team of the Federal Fire Service and officers of the state police command put off the fire and prevented it from spreading to other parts of the multi-billion naira complex.
Citizens of the state were still trying to grapple with news of the fire at the assembly when the airwaves became awash with the news of the impeachment proceedings against the governor, the protest of the governor and his supporters to the assembly and the firing of teargas at the governor and his supporters.
Sources close to the state Assembly had confided to our Correspondent that plans had been orchestrated first to impeach the state assembly leader, Edison Ehie, who is said to have opposed former governor Wike’s dictatorial tendencies.
Meanwhile, both parties have retired to their cocoons to strategise on coming out victorious in the war for the political soul of the state, which has been fired off by the events at the state house of assembly today.
Citizens and residents of the state are now, as always, left to watch how the battle goes, even as political watchers have expressed concerns that democracy and development of the state shall be the immediate casualties of the war.
. TheWitness
