Former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Mr. Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has advised the Rivers State House of Assembly faction led by Martin Amayefure to kill plans to impeach Governor Simiminirai Hubala.
Eze described the lawmakers’ move as a step towards regaining political relevance, declaring that the lawmakers will effectively withdraw from legislative activity from December 2023 onwards.
Rivers State is experiencing significant political turmoil following Governor Hubala’s decision to sever ties with his predecessor, Mr Nyesom Wike, who is currently the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Naija News understands that there are rumors that 27 members are preparing to initiate impeachment proceedings against the governor.
However, Eze noted that their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) had undermined their authority to engage in legitimate legislative action.
The APC leader highlighted that an example of pro-Wike opposition to the governor was reflected in the recent Court of Appeal judgment that ordered Hubara to resubmit the 2024 spending bill to the Amawuhulu-led Assembly.
Mr. Eze said the appeal was a measure ordered by President Tinubu after consultation with parties to the conflict involved in the political crisis in Rivers State, and that Mr. Hubala had dropped all legal defenses in response to Mr. Amawfulu’s lawsuit. He explained that this stemmed from the Federal High Court’s ruling.
The APC leader said the court’s judgment, which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal, represented the outcome of Wike’s brazen defiance of President Tinubu’s orders.
Mr. Eze further urged Mr. Wike and his colleagues to accept the direct meaning conveyed by the Court of Appeal’s judgment in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/133/CS/2023 when interpreting the judgment.
In a statement issued in response to various interpretations emanating from pro-Wike factions in new attempts to perpetuate instability in the state, Mr Eze said the judgment was a direct result of Mr Wike’s former MPs and others. He stressed that there was no mention of the status of the seat. They defected, left the elected political party, the PDP, and voluntarily relinquished their positions.
These seats were declared vacant on December 13, 2023 by the then Parliament Speaker RT. My lord. Edison Ehie.
He said: “Section 109(i)(g) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution is automatically enacted and does not require judicial interpretation for it to come into force, forcing former members of Congress to deny falsehoods adopted and peddled by their own team. “I called on people to wake up from the exhilaration of the story.” A number of judgment interpreters fail to resolve the situation with provocative but ambiguous interpretations. ”
“Given that Section 109(i)(g) automatically takes effect upon the defection of state legislators, the Court of Appeal ordered a stay of proceedings on the issue, and 27 former members remain in Rivers. The question is whether or not he is a member of the state legislature.
“Judicial officers, especially judges, must be wary of getting drawn into situations where they become partisan pawns of wrongdoers seeking deeply selfish and anti-people vengeance.
“While the Court of Appeal’s judgment does not restore the seats lost by the former MPs, it has exposed them to ridicule, especially from the Wike group who are desperate to hang on to something from the court for self-assertion.
Eze said such a situation could create a crisis and the court would be cautious in responding to such a sensitive situation given the fragility of the political atmosphere in the state. .
“Martins Amaefule and his companions are now relying on a Court of Appeal decision that has been misinterpreted as a return from a self-inflicted political slide, and are therefore emboldened to act to the extent they are told. They don’t have that power, but they’re sitting there doing legislative work. ”
To those who seem lost in the euphoria of the absurd interpretation of the Court of Appeal’s decision, Eze said: “The question of whether the 27 former MPs have not lost their seats due to defection remains to be seen. It’s on hold,” he reminded. They are former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and therefore lack the legitimacy to exercise legislative functions in the state until they go to court and the question is decided in their favor. ”
He called on Amawful and others to “get rid of the idea of impeaching the governor because it will backfire.”
He advised the people to be “careful and mindful about what orders they take from Wike,” and reportedly said the FCT minister “doesn’t mean well for the country, and people are willing to take orders from Wike.” We must be careful not to let it fall into the hands of others and use it as a tool of destruction.” state. ”
