By Afolabi Samuel Odunayo
Darlington Orji, Caretaker Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area in Rivers State, has come down very hard on the the Martin-Amaewhule led House of Assembly.
Despite the exparte order initiated by the Rivers State High Court sitting on Monday, July 8, barring the Chief Judge and the Clerk of the State against any impeachment proceedings against the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Orji said the Pro-Wike group of lawmakers are not legitimate and cannot as a result impeach the incumbent Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, Orji said the people of Rivers State are poised against any event of impeachment plans by the pro-Wike lawmakers.
“So, they cannot serve impeachment notice on the governor, and the Rivers people are awaiting that to happen, and we are going to resist it. For us, what is important is that the governor is concentrating on building Rivers State and bringing up dividends of democracy,” he said.
The Chairman added that since the lawmakers have intended to issue an impeachment notice, he too has the right to persuade the Chief Judge of Rivers State to not recognise them.
He argued this, asserting that “As long as we are concerned, they are not known to law until their status is pronounced by the Supreme Court, then we will know whether they are members of Rivers State House of Assembly.
“What is happening there is that a group of people can come together and issue out any statement. They are not members, and until their status is being cleared, the Appeal Court never said they are members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the Appeal Court said that the lower court that gave that order lacks the jurisdiction to do that.”
While he admitted that the Right Honourable Edison Ehie was the one who declared the Amaewhule-led faction vacant, he noted that the topic about their membership is irrelevant.
“If not for the politics that we are playing, by now we should be talking about bye-election in Rivers state, and not to be talking about whether they are members or not.
“They caused this by themselves, it’s a political mistake, and of course, their leader has accepted that it’s a political mistake. Why not, if they think they are popular, if they feel that Rivers people love them, represent yourself to the people so that we will see and test that your popularity.”
On whether the lawmakers are legitimate and recognised in Rivers State, Orji stated:
“The judgement that was given yesterday, or the order that was given yesterday by the state High Court was reaffirming their position earlier, who says that the Chief Judge of Rivers state must not see these young men, these Committee of Friends men that are parading themselves as members of Rivers State House of Assembly until such matters are being determined.
“Now, in the issue of the Appeal Court that says that the lower court has no jurisdiction to hear that matter, that’s why I told you that there are several issues that are on board, they’re not the same matter.
“Now, what is happening in Rivers State is that a group of young men that we campaigned for- like I told you, I was the PRO of PDP at the time, during the campaign period of the election that brought in Martins Amaewhule, and I refer to them as my friends.
“And they were elected under PDP, and of course, I know that your station carried it about their defection and all of that. And these are men that say they are honourable members.”
