More members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have joined the train of those calling for the termination of the ongoing impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.
Similarly, traditional rulers in the state have constituted a team to seek a solution to the political crisis.
It was also learnt that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the political party that both the governor and the majority members of the House of Assembly belong to, has intervened.
Yesterday, two lawmakers – Barile Nwakoh (Khana Constituency 1) and Emilia Amadi (Obio/Akpor Constituency II) – appealed to their colleagues to conditionally withdraw the impeachment proceedings.
They said that although the governor and his deputy might have violated the constitution, pleas by respected leaders to the Assembly cannot be ignored.
Their appeal came two days after the Minority Leader, Sylvanus Nwankwo (Omuma Constituency), and Peter Abbey (Degema Constituency) had pleaded with other colleagues to temper justice with mercy.
However, the four lawmakers did not dissociate themselves from the impeachment notices signed by 26 lawmakers.
The move by the lawmakers to stave off the impeachment is conditional.
The governor is expected to respect the Constitution in his conduct of state affairs.
The mediation committee set up by the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) early in the week and chaired by former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), also swung into action by making consultations with the two warring camps.
Sources said Fubara has demonstrated a readiness for a truce by reaching out to the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, for reconciliation.
The governor issued a directive to members of his camp to stop making public comments against the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and avoid heating up the state.
Fubara and Odu were served with impeachment notices by the Assembly last week over allegations of gross misconduct.
The lawmakers gave them seven days to respond to the allegations.
A member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), who spoke on the Rivers crisis, said the party had launched an intervention into the impasse to prevent the depletion of its governors’ forum.
He said it is the duty of the party leadership to reconcile the governor and the lawmakers, who are chieftains of the ruling party.
A source said that, based on the party’s intervention, the Assembly may reconvene to put the impeachment process on hold and seek a political solution.
Yesterday, the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers raised a nine-man Reconciliation Committee to end the crisis and persuade the lawmakers to withdraw the impeachment notice.
The committee, which was inaugurated by the Chairman of the council, Eze Oha Apara IV, Apara Kingdom, Eze Chike Amadi Worlu-Wodo, is chaired by His Majesty, Dr. Suanu Baridam, while His Majesty, Eze Nwachukwu Nnam Obi, is co-chairman.
Other members of the Committee are Eze Uchechukwu Isaiah-Elikwu, Eze Leslie Eke, Dr. Samuel Amaechi, Dr. Felix Otuwarikpo, Eze Onyekachi Amaonwu, King Agolia Aboko, and Eze Nwankwo Nwankwo.
Darlington Owiriwa will serve as secretary.
A statement by Baridam said: “In view of the sensitive nature of the issues before the public, we appeal to supporters of all factions, social media enthusiasts, and the general public to moderate their comments in order not to escalate the situation.
“We further urge citizens to refrain from acts likely to cause a breach of the peace in the state.”
At a news conference in Port-Harcourt, the state capital, Nwako and Amadi, who called for a political solution, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Wike for their interventions.
They traced the genesis of the crisis to the violation of the Constitution by Fubara and Odu and the governor’s refusal to adhere to agreements he reached under the supervision of the President.
The duo appealed to their colleagues to embrace a political solution if Fubara can demonstrate his readiness to respect agreements and obey the constitution.
They said: “We speak for ourselves and not for the House, as we do not have the leave to speak for the House of Assembly.
We are part of the notice of allegation of gross misconduct against the governor and the deputy governor because they truly infringed several times on the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The governor has seriously abandoned the agreement entered into in the past with the supervision of Mr President in a bid to find a lasting solution to the constitutional infractions. This casts serious doubts on why any person should trust him.
“However, we have been inundated with calls from some of our leaders and Rivers people begging that we seek a political solution to this problem created by the governor and his deputy.
Source: Thenation
