By Vincent Egunyanga and Ben Adoga
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, yesterday said heavens would not fall if the Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly impeaches Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Wike, the immediate-past governor of Rivers State, said this at a media parley in Abuja yesterday.
He said nothing was wrong if the lawmakers decided to sack Fubara for alleged impeachable offences, including withholding their salaries for months.
He said, “If you have committed an offence to be impeached, what’s wrong? Is it a criminal offence? It’s provided in the constitution. Am I a member of the Assembly?
“If you have committed an infraction of the constitution and the Assembly deems it fit to say, you should be impeached.
“I have heard people say: ‘Oh, if they impeach him, there will be a breakdown of law and order.’ Rubbish! Nothing will happen.”
Wike said if the Amaewhule-led House were not disposed to peace, the Assembly would have gone on a six-month recess after the Supreme Court verdict.
He rubbished the letter written to the Assembly by Fubara, saying he should have done better.
*Fubara says he was denied access to Assembly quarters
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has expressed dissatisfaction over the action of the Rivers State House of Assembly, denying him entry from the quarters on Wednesday.
Fubara addressed residents of the Khana Local Government Area of the state shortly after the drama at the Assembly quarters during the commissioning of some health facilities.
The governor insisted that he communicated his intention to visit the lawmakers to Speaker Martins Amaewhule before he showed up at the quarters to re-represent the 2025 Budget as directed by the Assembly following the Supreme Court verdict on February 28, 2025.
“I still believe they might be instructed later. If they are instructed, I’m still ready to come any day to get this issue sorted out,” the governor said.
He said efforts made to reach him on the phone since Tuesday had been abortive.
Also, the Rivers State Government shared a letter notifying the House of the governor’s visit.
The governor arrived with his entourage but met the Assembly entrance gate under lock and key.
No reason was given for locking out the governor, but Assembly sources said the governor had not officially informed the legislators about his visit and purpose.
The lawmakers had given Fubara a 48-hour ultimatum to present the budget, which was earlier approved by the 4-member faction of the Assembly loyal to him.
On Friday, February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court handed a raft of decisions on the protracted political situation in the oil-rich South-South state.
In the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, the five-man panel of the court unanimously dismissed Fubara’s cross-appeal challenging the validity of the House of Assembly presided over by Amaewhule as the Speaker.
In dismissing Fubara’s appeal, the court ordered Amaewhule to resume sitting immediately with other elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The apex court barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other agencies from releasing funds to the Government of Rivers State until it purges itself of what the court described as flagrant disobedience to court orders.
Also, the apex court declared the local government election conducted in the state on October 5, 2024, as invalid.
Fubara said he would fully implement the apex court’s judgments and directed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to develop modalities for the fresh election.
The electoral commission fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct a fresh local government poll in the state. The Assembly later issued an arrest warrant against RSIEC Chief Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd) for failing to appear before the House.
Furthermore, the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, in a letter dated March 7, 2025, sought a meeting with the lawmakers on March 10, 2025, to discuss the re-presentation of the 2025 budget and a peace talk, but the Assembly asked the governor to channel his invitation properly.
