PDP faults APC on call for Fubara's impeachment
• Says 27 House members have lost seats • LG chairmen vow not to leave office after tenure
TPeoples Democratic Thoughts Of Forceful Party ( PDP) has conTakeover Of Rivers State,’ the demned the call by the River
PDP said that its attention has State chapter of the All
been drawn to a delusional Progressives Congress ( APC)
declaration by the Chairman on the state House of
of APC in Rivers State, T ony Assembly to impeach
Okocha, wherein he issued a Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
directive that an impeachThe national leadership of
ment proceeding be comthe PDP, during a press brief
menced against the demoing, presided over by its
cratically elected Governor of National Publicity S ecretary,
Rivers State, Fubara."
Debo Ologunagba, yesterday,
PDP said: "Such reckless and in Abuja, alleged that the 27
unwarranted statement by lawmakers, charged to carr y
Okocha exposes the vile desout the impeachment, had
peration of the APC, which is already vacated their seats
roundly rejected in Rivers when they defected t o the
State, to use violence, coerAPC in December, 2023.
cion and bullying to underThe main opposition party
mine the will of the people expressed shock that the APC
and forcefully take over the called for Fubara 's impeach
state." ment despite the existing fear
The PDP said that the call for of chaos and breakdown of
the governor's impeachment law and order in the state if
showed "the level of APC'S the governor is removed
arrogance and condescenunconstitutionally.
sion for the people of Rivers Ologunagba, at the press
State, which further confirms briefing tagged, ‘ Perish The
APC'S desperation to f orceful
MEANWHILE, the political crisis in Rivers seems to be exacerbated as the incumbent chairmen of the 23 local ly annex their democratic councils of the state ha ve rights under the Constitution." vowed not to vacate office
On the status of the 27 memafter expiration of their bers of the state Assembly, who tenure on June 17, 2024. defected to the APC, The legal adviser to the state Ologunagba said: "The individchapter of the Association of uals that Okocha directed to Local Governments of Nigeria commence impeachment pro( ALGON) and Chairman of ceedings against Fubara are Andoni Local Council, Erastus not legally members of the Awortu, made the declaration, Rivers State House of yesterday, while fielding quesAssembly, and cannot contemtions from newsmen in Port plate or exercise such powers Harcourt. under the law. Awortu stated that the deciOlogunagba said: "These indision of the council to remain viduals, by vir tue of Section in office after June 17, 2024,
109 ( 1) ( g) of the Constitution was based on the recent deciof the Federal Republic of sion of the state House of Nigeria, 1999 ( as amended), Assembly, backed by the have since vacated and lost amended local government their seats, rights, privileges, law, to extend their tenure by recognition and obligations six months. accruable to members of the He said: "Yes, we got elected in Rivers State House of Assembly 2021; our tenure is to expire in after their defection from the June. By now, local council PDP, which was the political elections ought to ha ve been party upon which they were conducted and concluded elected into the state waiting to swear- in those that Assembly." are victorious.”