Fubara gets court to stop planned impeachment

A Rivers State High Court has restrained the state’s house of assembly from going on with its planned impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The court also restrained the chief justice of the state, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi.

The trial judge, Mr. O. Ben-Whyte, asked the defendants to “maintain the status quo” pending when the court hears the substantive suit filed by the governor. The judge then adjourned further hearing in the matter till 14th of November, 2023.

Rivers state has lately witnessed a political crisis, occasioned by the disagreement between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nysome Wike. In his bid to stave off the impeachment plot, Governor Fubara and his supporters invaded the house of assembly.

As a way of resolving the issue, President Bola Tinubu intervened in the crisis and some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors too. The PDP governors met with Wike on Tuesday, after which Bauchi state Governor Bala Mohammed assured that the “crisis is going to be nipped in the bud.”

“We know the person of Wike, his contribution to politics and national development; we know his relationship and his achievements in politics. So, we are not surprised that this matter is coming to an end,” Mohammed said.

Despite the intervention, Wike, who is currently the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), appeared implacable. He said after the meeting “They (PDP governors) have talked about the crisis in Rivers state. Let me tell anybody who cares that nobody can intimidate me.

“It does not matter whether you go and bring thugs, or you say you are Ijaw, if I want to do something, I will do it. Impeachment is not a military coup; impeachment is provided under the constitution.’’

‘’But nobody can take away our political structure, no one.  I have listened to them and for me, you cannot work and people will begin to bring enemies, those who fought you;  nobody does that.’’

“I am not a political ingrate, but don’t touch the political structure in Rivers State; I will not shut my eyes. Forget about the Obidients and the Atikulates, who have lost, who felt I did not support them and those whom I revoked their C of O (Certificate of Occupancy).

“Wike did this and that because I did not support their presidential candidates; all those things I am not perturbed, I will only do what is right.”