The Ijaw National Congress (INC) and its youth wing, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), joined a growing list of concerned individuals and political parties in demanding the immediate suspension of impeachment proceedings against Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The Port City News (TCPN) reported that the Rivers State House of Assembly commenced the impeachment process on Thursday and vowed to pursue it to the end.
Speaking in Port Harcourt after the impeachment gained momentum, INC President, Professor Benjamin Okaba, warned the Assembly and demanded an immediate end to renewed impeachment threats against Fubara.
The groups, backed by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the move as a calculated attempt to destabilise the state’s progress.
Okaba declared that their opposition to the impeachment was not an ethnic matter but a defence of democracy itself. He expressed dismay that the crisis had resurfaced just months after an earlier resolution and called on all stakeholders to protect the governor’s mandate from what he described as an unfortunate development.
Also speaking, IYC President, Dr Alaye Theophilus, urged the 26 lawmakers to abandon the path of impeachment and focus on constructive oversight.
Also see: Rivers Assembly Vows to Push Fubara Impeachment to End
Theophilus maintained that Fubara had consistently initiated developmental projects and should be allowed to complete his tenure in peace.
He stressed that it was a time for governance, not conflict, accusing the Assembly of neglecting the needs of Rivers people in pursuit of political vendettas.
Meanwhile, former PDP spokesperson in Rivers State, Sydney Tambari, appealed to the lawmakers to sheathe their swords for the sake of the state.
Tambari stated that Fubara had made concessions to ensure peace and warned that a fresh impeachment process at the start of the year would only derail progress and invite anarchy.
