AfriPulse
Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday took their protest to the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, calling for urgent intervention by the National Assembly in the deepening political crisis in Rivers State.
The group urged federal lawmakers to activate Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution to take over the functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
According to the APC group, the assembly no longer has the moral or constitutional standing to operate effectively.
The protesters, drawn from civil society organisations, media practitioners and party leaders, accused the Rivers Assembly of acting outside democratic norms. They claimed the lawmakers have reduced legislative oversight to a tool for political persecution.
At the centre of their protest was the ongoing impeachment plot against Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The stakeholders described the move as dangerous, unconstitutional and capable of destabilising governance in the oil-rich state.
According to them, the assembly’s conduct amounts to a “total loss of credibility and legitimacy,” especially in light of recent political developments in the state.
“The Rivers State House of Assembly has lost all credibility due to persistent abuse of legislative powers and a desperate impeachment plot,” the group said during the protest.
Speaking on behalf of the APC Leaders Forum, Eze Chukwuemeka accused the lawmakers of pursuing a personal agenda rather than acting in the interest of Rivers residents.
He warned that failure by the National Assembly to step in could further damage Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“This is no longer oversight—it’s a vendetta to destabilise governance. Silence now is complicity!” Chukwuemeka said.
Also addressing journalists, the coordinator of a civil society group, Comrade Blessing Ibama, dismissed the allegations against the governor. She insisted there is no factual basis for claims of misconduct leveled against Fubara.
”No shred of evidence shows gross misconduct by Governor Fubara—the allegations are pure political fiction,” Ibama stated.
The stakeholders further accused 27 lawmakers, allegedly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of engineering the crisis. The lawmakers are said to be led by the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule.
They alleged that the legislators received huge sums of money running into millions of naira. The claims include funds for constituency projects, luxury SUVs and one year’s salary paid in advance to each lawmaker.
However, the protesters warned that the situation in Rivers State could spiral further if decisive action is not taken. They vowed to sustain pressure until the National Assembly intervenes and restores legislative order in the state.
Source: PoliticsNigeria | Read the Full Story…
