The All Progressives Congress (APC) said the quest of Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara, to allegedly disobey Nigeria’s constitution and govern in denial of the existence of the state legislature is, in and of itself, among other grounds, an impeachable offense.
The party said this on Friday in a statement by spokesman, Felix Muoka, after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dismissed the APC in Rivers State’s call for the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach Fubara.
APC also accused the PDP of tendering a hogwash argument that by Section 109 of the Constitution, the 27 House of Assembly members who defected from PDP to APC have forfeited their seats, and echoed the governor’s declaration that the Rivers State House of Assembly is non-existent.
“Contrary to PDP’s assertions, it is not APC that is calling for the impeachment of Governor Fubara,” Muoka said.
“Rather, by his egregious actions, conduct and infantile comments, Fubara is actively and vehemently precipitating his own impeachment.”
Muoka stated that governor Fubara’s declaration that the Rivers State House of Assembly does not exist is not only reckless, it is a direct affront to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said the House of Assembly is a creation of the Constitution, and vested with the legislative authority of the state.
Muoka also said that the members of the Assembly were elected by the good people of Rivers state in the same manner that Fubara was elected Governor.
He pointed out that the Assembly does not exist at the Governor’s pleasure or desire.
Muoka said the legislature is at the core of the idea of democracy and as such, it is coequal with the executive and judicial arms of government.
According to him, the constitutionally entrenched principle of separation of powers among the three arms of government guarantees essential checks and balances required to ensure observance of the rule of law.
The APC spokesman added that the rule of law is indispensable to democracy and constitutional order.
“Governor Fubara cannot abrogate the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Muoka said.
“He cannot be governor and be despot-in-chief of the Rivers state House of Assembly, at the same time.”
