PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described the renewed attempts by the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminialayi Fubara as an unfortunate sequence of political misadventures allegedly orchestrated by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Reacting to the development in a statement made available to the media, Eze said the unfolding events following the rift between Governor Fubara and the FCT Minister were disturbing, avoidable and deeply injurious to democratic governance in Rivers State. He argued that the situation would not have degenerated to its present level had members of the Rivers State House of Assembly resisted what he described as external manipulation aimed at settling personal and political scores.
Eze noted that the current move represents the third attempt by the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach the governor, whom he said has remained locked in a prolonged struggle to protect the resources of the state from what he described as entrenched interests opposed to reforms in the management of public funds.
According to him, the convergence of the Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy is not based on any proven act of misconduct, but rather on directives allegedly issued by the FCT Minister. He claimed that the Assembly’s actions were scripted and driven from outside the state, describing the development as a grave affront to democratic norms and the independence of the legislature.
Eze further alleged that the impeachment plot amounts to a declaration of political war against Rivers State and its people, warning that the crisis risks paralysing governance and undermining development efforts across the state.
He expressed disappointment that, given the fragile political atmosphere in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu had not taken firmer steps to rein in the FCT Minister, whom he accused of abandoning his official responsibilities in Abuja to engage in sustained political activities within Rivers State.
Eze maintained that the continued political tension was damaging the image of the APC and embarrassing the presidency, urging President Tinubu to act in the broader interest of peace, stability and democratic order.
He also advised the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, to pursue his political ambitions through the ballot in 2027, rather than what he described as attempts to ascend to power through unconstitutional means.
Calling for urgent presidential intervention, Eze said it had become imperative for President Tinubu to set aside political considerations and address what he termed an avoidable and self-inflicted crisis that is stalling governance and development in Rivers State.
“The president must act on conscience and moral responsibility to halt this unfolding political menace, which is fast grounding the wheels of progress in Rivers State,” Eze said.
