Gov. Fubara’s aborted impeachment and the need for lasting peace in Rivers State

By Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt

Since 30th October, 2023, when residents of Rivers State woke up to hear of an impeachment notice served on the Executive Governor of the State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, life no doubt has not been the same.

If for nothing else, Government activities were almost grounded by these people-unfriendly development.

The impeachment was preceded by an alleged attack on the State House of Assembly, where the Hallowed Chamber was torched by yet to be identified arsonists, which caused collateral damage to the once revered Symbol of Democracy in  Rivers State.

Accusations and counter accusations have trailed the act, as regards the aggressors, with the latest being the one from the immediate past governor of the State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

The Minister did not mince words, but pointed accusing fingers on the sitting Governor, commonly referred to as his political son, Sir Siminalayi Fubara as the perpetrator of the heinous crime.

Though the governor has not refuted the weighty allegation, one wonders how a dog can eat a bone hung on her neck.

Before then, the factional Speaker and former Leader of the State Assembly, Rt Hon Edison Ehie, had been fingered for torching the Hallowed Chamber, which was said to have been orchestrated to prevent the other Factional Speaker, Rt Hon. Martin Amaewhule from having access to execute the planned impeachment plot of the Governor.

As to whether these plethora of allegations are correct, remains to be seen. What is factual is that, this aborted impeachment act on the governor has grossly affected governance in Rivers State covertly or overtly.

For instance, the attempted impeachment bid, triggered off a myriad of protests in solidarity to the sitting Governor.

In fact, volunteer protesters, comprising majorly youths, besieged the House of Assembly the next day, forcing the police and other security agencies to condone the area and applied all known tactics to rebuff the surging crowd along Moscow Road, where the House of Assembly is situated.

 As the saying goes, ‘one whose house is on fire does not chase rat.’ Governor Fubara was naturally enmeshed with the taming of the unwanted visitor (impeachment scar). It was popularly reported that when the governor rushed to the scene of the fire, talking about the House of Assembly the next day to probably ascertain the extent of damage done  to the edifice, he was allegedly teargassed by police operatives, who later in their defence claimed not to have recognized the Number One Citizen of Rivers State.

Well, in a confused situation like that anything could have happened.

Whether anybody believes it or not, since this impeachment incident reared its ugly face in the political landscape of the State, things have not been the same .

This singular act slowed down governance or even reduced it to the lowest ebb. Despite the fact that many political watchers dismissed the impeachment act, describing it as mere joke, some legislators led by Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule made good their threat a day after the burning down of the Assembly to commence impeachment move against the governor, a reenactment of what transpired during the tenure of Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi that warranted him to shut down the courts in the State for nearly a year and took proceedings of the House of Assembly to Government House, with only his loyalists making laws.

History has almost been repeated in Rivers State, to the disenchantment of the good people of the State.

But to be on the safe side and to avoid the adage that ‘it is only the tree that you tell that you will cut it down and the next day it is still standing on that spot.’

Governor Fubara had quickly run to the State High Court, sitting in Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area to obtain an injunction restraining any attempt to unjustly remove him from office.

He was quoted to have said that he was not afraid of being impeached, provided Rivers’ people were told of the offence he committed.

While waiting for that, the governor precautionarily obtained the restraining order of court to secure his position. You can agree with me that plenty of manhours that would have been used to tinker good governance were being wasted on artificial and avoidable political impasse.

What a misplacement of priority!

The political unrest has affected many areas, forcing the governor to tactically  retreat to his Chamber. The implication is that  most outdoor activities are now done indoors. For instance, the 2023/2024 Armed Forces Emblem Appeal Fund launch that is naturally done at a public venue has been planned to hold in Government House.

The 2024 appropriation bill is still being worked upon, pending which faction of the Assembly it will be presented to.

And now that legal suits have started flying up and down, who knows when and how the budget will be presented by the Chief Executive Officer of the State.

For instance, the former Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Edison Ehie who is laying claim to the Speakership, has gone to court and obtained an injunction, restraining Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule from parading himself as Speaker and/or interrupting proceedings of the House pending the determination of the said suit.

You can now agree with me that all is far from being well in Rivers State. On his part, the former governor of the State, Barr Nyesom  Wike during a recent press briefing, has heaped allegations on the sitting Governor, Sir Fubara.

 The FCT Minister was quoted to have accused the governor of sponsoring the burning down of the State Assembly, describing as an ‘ingrate’ who wants to destroy a structure that produced him.

He warned that he would crush any attempt by anybody to tamper with his political structure in Rivers State. In such an atmosphere, how do you think governance can be smooth, if it exists at all.

Some elder statesmen and groups have called for truce, insisting that development could not be gotten in an atmosphere of rancour and acrimony. For instance Chief Edwin Clark, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, Chief Rufus Ada-George, among others have called for an amicable solution to the political crisis, before it metamorphoses into an intractable monster.

Also groups such as the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Ijaw National Congress (INC), Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) Ekpeye Ekeleni, Concerned Women for Peace in Rivers State, among others have lent their voices in calling for peace among the feuding parties.

They were categorical that peace has no alternative. Many peace loving citizens of Rivers State and friends of the State have also joined the bandwagon in calling for sustainable peace in the State.

In the same vein, I am appealing to the state and non-state actors in this political imbroglio to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of the State, our children and those yet unborn. This is critical for growth and development of the State.

If I may borrow the words of former Military Administrator of Rivers State, Dauda Komo,” others will not wait for you to move forward, so it is important to make and live in peace”. A stitch in time, they say saves nine!