“It Is Better We All Resign Than Watch the Constitution Be Trampled” — Rivers Speaker

The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, has said lawmakers should consider resigning their positions if they cannot enforce the constitution under the current political climate in the state.

Amaewhule made the statement on Thursday during plenary, against the backdrop of the deepening political crisis in Rivers State. He said the situation was being misrepresented as a personal clash between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, rather than what he described as a constitutional conflict involving the governor.

At the sitting, the House formally read a notice of allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara. The notice, endorsed by 26 lawmakers, accused the governor of actions allegedly inconsistent with provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.

Reacting during the session, the Speaker said lawmakers were being unfairly blamed while alleged constitutional breaches by the executive were overlooked. He described the governor as “a threat to our democracy” and questioned the relevance of the legislature if it could not carry out its constitutional role.

Amaewhule insisted that the matter had nothing to do with personal disagreements involving the FCT minister, stating that the focus should remain on the constitution and the responsibilities of elected officials.

He argued that remaining in office without the authority to enforce the law rendered the legislature ineffective. According to him, allowing the executive to act without proper legislative oversight undermined democratic governance.

The Speaker also raised concerns about public funds, questioning why lawmakers were elected if they could not perform oversight functions or protect legislative autonomy.

He concluded by affirming that the House would pursue the impeachment process to its logical end, saying the Assembly had reached a point where decisive action was necessary.

Earlier in the sitting, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, read the notice detailing allegations against Governor Fubara, while the Deputy Majority Leader, Linda Stewart, read a separate notice against the Deputy Governor, Ngozi Oduh.

The Assembly had previously listed allegations including extra-budgetary spending, demolition of the Assembly complex, withholding of funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, and alleged non-compliance with a Supreme Court ruling on legislative autonomy.