Following the 48-hour ultimatum issued to the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 appropriation bill, Ijaw Youths have warned against attempts to impeach the governor.
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and Ijaw National Council (INC) made these warnings in different statements issued on Wednesday, in reaction to the expiration of the 48-hour ultimatum given to Fubara on Monday.
Recall that on Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that it was unacceptable for Fubara to present an appropriation bill before a four-man House of Assembly, thereby denying 28 constituencies of effective representation.
While delivering the judgement, Justice Emmanuel Akomaye also dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Fubara challenging the validity of the House of Assembly presided over by Martin Amaewhule as the speaker.
Additionally, the court ordered Amawhule to resume sitting immediately with other elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Subsequent to the court’s judgment, the Speaker of the House, Martin Amawhule addressed a letter to the Rivers State Governor on Monday. He requested that the 2025 Appropriation Bill reappear before the house within 48 hours.
Rivers State Government denies receiving house notification
However, the Rivers State Government in a statement issued on Wednesday, said it has yet to receive any letter from the House of Assembly.
In the communique, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo maintained that the government only heard of the purported ultimatum on social media.
Additionally, he claimed that the government had not yet received a copy of the Supreme Court judgment to enable it to respond appropriately.
Meanwhile, in anticipation of the Assembly’s pronouncement after its plenary today, the INC, and IYC among other groups have declared their readiness to defend Fubara’s mandate.
Ijaw youth warn against Fubara impeachment
The IYC president, Dr Theophilus Alaye in a statement released to journalists in Abuja, warned that any attempt by the House to impeach Fubara would cause a crisis in the state.
Alaye also criticized the Supreme Court’s verdict that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria from releasing funds to the Rivers State Government until it purges itself of what the court described as flagrant disobedience to court orders.
He stressed that Rivers was a major contributor to the national revenues, noting that it would be unacceptable for the state to be starved of funds from its “God-given natural endowment”.
The IYC therefore urged the court to review its judgment as any attempt to stop Rivers allocation would cause hardship for innocent civil servants and reduce developmental project implementation by the state government.
Likewise, the president of the INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, reprimanded the threats of impeachment, stressing that the Ijaw people would not stay inactive as their first riverine governor in many years faced this kind of undermining.
Furthermore, Okaba criticized the court’s ruling concerning the political turmoil, emphasizing its oversight of the historical and political contributions made by the ljaw people in the governance of Rivers State.
He expressed disappointment that, despite the INC’s initiatives to foster peace in the Niger Delta, which have resulted in heightened oil production and revenue for the nation, the very resources generated are being utilized to marginalize the community.
In addition, Okaba highlighted that this issue extends beyond Rivers State, impacting Ondo, Edo, Delta, and Akwa Ibom states, where the Ijaw continue to face political exclusion.
He went on to warn that any effort to undermine Governor Fubara could have dire repercussions for national harmony and economic stability, particularly in the oil and gas-rich region.
