Four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly will be the first casualties within the ongoing political conflict between the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
A bunch generally known as Ogoni Development Drive (ODD) mentioned that it has begun the method to recall the 4 lawmakers over their alleged roles within the botched impeachment of Governor Fubara.
The affected lawmakers are Dumle Maol (PDP, Gokana constituency), Barile Nwakoh (PDP, Khana), Aforji Igwe (PDP, Eleme) and Bernard Ngba (PDP, Tai). Convener of the group, Comrade Solomon Lenu who made this recognized at a information convention in Port Harcourt mentioned the transfer was crucial to “save our democracy”, including that different areas of the nation would take a cue from them.
“ODD had on Nov. 10 issued a seven-day ultimatum to the 4 Ogoni lawmakers, who partook within the plot that tried to serve an impeachment discover to Gov. Fubara.
“The 4 lawmakers, now suspended, have been requested to apologise to the Ogoni folks whom they symbolize and to Gov. Fubara for denigrating his exalted workplace or danger being recalled.
“Instead of heeding this advice and embracing the olive branch extended to them, they rather embarked on an egocentric escapade,” he mentioned.
Lenu additional mentioned the lawmakers somewhat than heed the recommendation by ODD engaged in varied conferences that purportedly plotted to unseat the governor.
“Gov. Fubara was collectively voted for by all the Rivers folks, and as such, the motion by the lawmakers has not gone nicely with all women and men of conscience.
“It is illogical for the erring assembly members to suppose it’s proper to impeach an harmless governor for no simply trigger however fallacious to recall them for erring towards their constituents.
“The suspended lawmakers called the bluff of ODD ultimatum, and so, we have decided to carry out this recall process in earnest, to put our democracy aright,” he mentioned.
Lenu mentioned the group had already reached a complicated degree in sensitising and mobilising the lawmakers’ constituents to recall them. He mentioned that ODD had additionally obtained the excellent voters’ register of all voters within the 4 native authorities areas and constituencies.
According to him, an digital seize type has additionally been created to make the petition course of simpler for college students at varied tertiary faculty campuses and people on vacation to signal the petition.
“So far, the response from the aggrieved constituents has been very spectacular, and we will in a number of weeks’ time full the compilation of the required signatures.
“The signatures are required for INEC to name for a referendum, which shall be carried out in branches with strict safety steering, to abort any sinister counterplot towards democracy.
“We know this process is not going to be easy, but we are ready to go all the way, to create a sense of responsibility in our elected leaders,” he mentioned.
Lenu mentioned instilling a way of duty in politicians and elected leaders would additional entrench democratic tenets within the nation. The ODD convener known as on the folks of Ogoni to come ahead and signal the petition, to finish political “jamboree and illicit godfatherism” within the state.
It will probably be recalled that 26 lawmakers on Oct. 30 proceeded to impeach Fubara however have been stopped by 4 pro-Fubara lawmakers led by Ehie Edison (PDP-Ahoada East II).
Martins Amaewhule (Obio Akpor constituency) and a detailed ally of a former governor, was later ousted as Speaker and Ehie sworn in as the brand new Speaker. He insists that he’s nonetheless the Speaker of the House of Assembly, leading to some type of confusion over the workplace of the Speaker.
Vanguard News
