By Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis, Punch Newspaper
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress said the embattled 27 members of the House of Assembly do not need the demolished House of Assembly complex or a physical structure to carry out their duties.
This was disclosed when the state caretaker committee led a delegation to the national headquarters of the APC in Abuja on Thursday.
The 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC.
A faction of the House of Assembly loyal to the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has since declared their seats vacant.
The National Working Committee of the PDP has also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct fresh elections to replace them.
Addressing newsmen, the Chairman of the Rivers APC committee, Chief Tony Okocha, reiterated that for as long as the mace is present in their midst, the majority of legislators can meet to deliberate anywhere.
Okocha, an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, also justified the defection of the House of Assembly members, their action was not an aberration.
He said, “The House of Assembly can be moved to anywhere. It is not necessarily down to a building. Provided the mace is present there, members can sit anywhere. As of this morning, the 27 lawmakers met and even signed some resolutions.
“Even when the building was burnt, the governor never bothered to set up a panel or committee to investigate. Apparently, we know he was the mastermind.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), the government brought it down to prove fait accompli to the members who defected. But we as a party have said we will fight illegalities and not allow anybody to hound any lawmaker.
“We are here to tell the world that we stand with the lawmakers. What they did is not an aberration. Defection is not new. In 2014, the PDP was run aground and the members left in droves to the opposing party.
“The PDP in Rivers has imploded and we are benefiting from the reward. We are telling the governor he cannot thrive on illegalities. I have given instruction to the legal adviser to petition the NJC to report the judge for delivering that ‘Jankara’ judgment.”
When asked if the lawmakers actually planned to impeach Governor Sim Fubara before the demolition of the legislative quarters took place, Okocha dodged the question but insisted that impeachment is equally an element of the democratic process.
The Rivers APC caretaker committee chair also maintained that there are provisions in the constitution that explain why any member can leave a party.
“I will be reluctant to answer that (attempt to impeach Fubara) because I am not a member of the House of Assembly. Again, impeachment is typical of a democratic process. The much I know is that we haven’t got to that stage. It is just the crude manner the government adopted we will fight. There are provisions in the constitution, which provide reasons people can leave a party. Are you not aware that it was their indiscretion that led to members leaving?
“But having four members who sat is an error and illegal. We as a political party will fight all illegalities by the governor. I have wooed Wike publicly before when we were doing Renewed Hope to come to Macedonia and help us.
“In 2023, because he refused to work with the PDP presidential candidate, APC won. Yesterday, I reiterated our plea for him to come and he will become the leader of the party. But what is happening in Rivers is that Fubara has left governance completely and beginning to chase shadows,” he said.