Rivers: ‘Fubara Has Done Nothing To Warrant Impeachment’ — Amaechi’s Man Peterside Defends Governor

Dakuku Peterside, a member of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has faulted plots to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara by the state’s House of Assembly.

Despite his political affiliation, Peterside came to Fubara’s defence on Tuesday, saying “impeachment issues cannot arise in less than 5 months of incumbency.”

Speculations have swirled that the state’s immediate past governor, Nyesom Wike, who is now serving as the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, is allegedly behind the move to impeach Fubara.

Wike had played a significant role in ensuring Fubara’s election as his successor in the March 18 governorship poll. The latter had served as the Accountant-General of the state under Wike’s administration.

Reacting to the controversy as well as the burning of the state House of Assembly hours before Fubara’s planned impeachment process, Peterside issued a statement to express his concerns.

A former governorship candidate in the state and ally of Wike’s arch-enemy, Rotimi Amaechi, Peterside described the impeachment plot as a “theatre of the absurd” by desperate political actors who do not wish Rivers State well.

He also condemned what he called “the raw violence that followed what should ordinarily be average political engagements,” as well as the “unwarranted disruption of governmental activities by politically motivated interests”.

Peterside said that he has seen nothing in the Rivers political landscape to show that Governor Fubara has compromised the state’s interest and deserved to be impeached.

The statement further reads, “I have read in the media, impeachment issues and the like. In good conscience, impeachment issues cannot arise in less than 5 months of incumbency. It sends the wrong signal that our State is a land of theatrics.

“Nothing in the political landscape has shown that the Executive Governor has compromised the State’s interest or put our State in a severe security quagmire.

“I have always said that no pursuit of personal interest or ambition can override the interest of Rivers State and its people. We, political leaders, must always watch our actions and tame our excesses.

“I appeal to all political actors to allow time and space for the Governor to do his job. Only one Governor can function at a time. I also appeal to members of RSHA to focus on the business of law-making and get less distracted by the pursuit of personal ego or narrow pecuniary interest.

“Finally, I appeal to all leaders in Rivers State to intervene in measured terms with the overall interest of our State in mind. Posterity will judge all of us. Let us allow reason to prevail, please.”

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, both Wike and Fubara visited the Presidential Villa to attend the National Police Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu.

The meeting had in attendance 36 state governors and the FCT Minister.