The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has firmly opposed the ongoing impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Ordu, warning that the state cannot afford what it described as a “legislative coup d’etat.”
The party made its position known in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, urging the Chief Judge of Rivers State to comply with a recent High Court order restraining him from acting on impeachment-related resolutions from the Rivers State House of Assembly.
According to the APC, it had carefully reviewed the circumstances that led members of the Assembly to pursue impeachment proceedings and expressed concern that lawmakers, including those aligned with the ruling party at the federal level, could be associated with actions capable of undermining the party’s collective vision for progress and development in the state.
The party questioned why its respected members, who openly identify with the leadership of the President, would allegedly allow themselves to be drawn into what it termed a planned assault on the party’s stability in Rivers State.
“We are warning once more that this is unnecessary action, as we have seen the refusal from members of the House of Assembly, including those from the APC, to cooperate.
“It is well known that the Legislature has the power, according to Sections 129 and 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), to carry out impeachment.
“As the ruling party in Rivers State, we are also aware that paragraph (11) of Section 188 is subject to political interpretation by the Legislature. This is because that paragraph is not normative or objective.
“The definition of what constitutes ‘gross misconduct’ is something that only the Legislature can decide. No matter how well-written the accusations against the Governor and his Deputy are, they still remain personal opinions in the eyes of the public.
“The choice made by the legislative branch is a risky addition to the health and future of the APC in Rivers State.
“Meanwhile, we urge the Honourable Chief Judge of Rivers State to respect the interim injunction issued yesterday in Suit No OYHC/7/CS/2026, which stopped him from accepting or acting on the resolutions passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Finally, we urge the national leadership of the party to act right away and use the internal processes outlined in Article 21(b)(iii) of the 2022 Constitution (as amended) to prevent our beloved party from facing a difficult and shameful situation,” it stated.
