By Our Reporter
In the midst of the political crisis bedeviling the State, the Rivers State House of Assembly has elected a new Speaker in the person of Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, the lawmaker Representing Bonny Local Government Area State Constituency at the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Jumbo emerged as the speaker of the three-man assembly members on Wednesday during its sitting in Port Harcourt after the resignation of Rt. Hon. Edion Ehie, now Chief of Staff to the state government.
The emergence of Jumbo, a loyalist to the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is coming at a time when the 27 members of the State House of Assembly whose seats have been declared vacant following their defection to the All Progressive Congress, APC, party are clamouring to impeach the governor.
The 27 law makers, loyal to the former governor of the State, Nyesome Wike, currently the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, FCTA, led by Martin Amaewhule were directed by the Rivers Chapter of the ruling All Progressive Congress party on Tuesday to commence impeachment proceeding against the state governor for what they termed ‘dueless and directionless’ governance of the state by Fubara.
APC also accused the governor for his blatant refusal to honour the peace agreement initiated by President Bola Tinubu between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, some months ago and his recent declaration of the lawmakers’ seats vacant.
Recall that on Monday, Fubara had declared, for the first time since the commencement of the crisis, that the APC lawmakers do not exist in the eyes of the law.
In his reaction, the caretaker committee chairman of the Rivers State APC, Chief Tony Okocha, who addressed newsmen in Port Harcourt, said the statement of the governor was tantamount to re-writing the constitution of Nigeria.
He said: “He has re-written the books. Elementary politics taught us there are three organs of government and their roles. And goes further to talk about the separation of powers and checks and balances.
“What the governor was implying clearly is that he is ruling Rivers State without laws. That Rivers State runs an executive arm and judiciary. So, what that implies is simply absurdity.
“You can now see the tendencies of a dictator. As an opposition party in Rivers State, we will not keep quiet, we will shout. Regrettably, the governor has taken up to this point and we will not take it.
“The governor said that the President’s intervention in Rivers State which he signed was not constitutional but a political solution. But he assented to it, not under duress. The agreement was signed in a friendly environment and the governor assented to the proclamation and had the opportunity to speak where he thanked Mr President.”
As opinions are divided over whether the 27 member law makers still has the moral rights to commence an impeachment proceeding against the governor, the matter has reportedly gone to court.
How the court decides the matter remains to be seen and would have a great impact on the nation’s democracy.
Jumbo is emerging after the resignation of Rt. Hon. Edion Ehie, now the Chief of Staff to the state government.
This emergence is coming when the APC and the LGA chairmen in the state are calling for the impeachment of the governor.
APC said the impeachment process was necessary given the governor’s blatant refusal to honour the peace agreement initiated by President Bola Tinubu between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, some months ago and his recent declaration of the lawmakers’ seats vacant.
Recall that on Monday, Fubara had declared, for the first time since the commencement of the crisis, that the APC lawmakers do not exist in the eyes of the law.
In his reaction, the caretaker committee chairman of the Rivers State APC, Chief Tony Okocha, who addressed newsmen in Port Harcourt, said the statement of the governor was tantamount to re-writing the constitution of Nigeria.
He said: “He has re-written the books. Elementary politics taught us there are three organs of government and their roles. And goes further to talk about the separation of powers and checks and balances.