Plot to impeach Fubara thickens as Ijaw groups respond to Wike’s threat

 

The decision by the state House of Assembly to investigate the alleged age falsification of the state's Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, pushed the political camp of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara even deeper into a trench. The House resolved at its 135th parliamentary sitting to write to the Department of State Service, DSS, to investigate the Chief Justice following allegations made against him by the House Leader, Hon Major Jack. The House agreed that age falsification was a "serious offence," but the claim must be confirmed, which requires a comprehensive investigation of the CJ to determine the veracity of the allegation.In response to this development, the Speaker, Rt. Hon Martins Amaewhule, stated that section 128 of the constitution empowers the House to investigate the claim, but then accused Governor Fubara of blocking heads of ministries, departments, and agencies from appearing before the House. Remember that Justice Amadi was screened to become the state's Chief Judge around three years ago, while Wike was governor. According to an unconfirmed claim, Amadi, who shares the same Ikwerre ethnic identity as Wike, turned down purported N5 billion gratification and tastefullyfurnished mansions in London and America to remove the governor and pave the way for his eventual impeachment.  Hon Ogbonna Nwuke, a former House of Representatives member in the 7th National Assembly, commented on the CJ's suffering, claiming that the Assembly members' actions were intended to scare the Chief Judge in order to get at the governor.  "It is not easy to impeach the governor.  That is why they are threatening the governor's allies in order to, at most, declare a state of emergency."  Giving the quick succession at which events happened in the state during the course of the week.Only a few hours after the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, openly proclaimed on Wednesday that the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, may be impeached by the House of Assembly and that "heaven will not fall," it appears that more is on the way. The minister's audacity came just a day after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu met with a delegation from the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, in Abuja, where the latter was asked to return home and persuade the embattled Governor to "obey the rule of law," i.e., the Supreme Court decision.