From Dagogo Wilson-Jack, Port-Harcourt
A Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), the South-South Professional Women Association International (SSPWAI), has called on President Bola Tinubu and the international community to wade in and halt what it called constitutional breaches being carried out in Rivers State by the State Assembly members.
Addressing the press on Sunday, the group led by Dr. (Mrs.) Constance Mbang, alleged that the refusal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to appropriate for N500 billion demanded by the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) is the key factor responsible for the impeachment moves against the governor and his deputy.
The group noted that the political brigandage currently going on in the state is already discouraging foreign and local investors, some of who are already disinvesting from the state and the country. It therefore, called on the National Assembly to immediately take over the legislative duties of the RSHA since they have proved incapable of carrying out their legislative functions in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” they said.
The group, comprising of mothers and indigenes of the South-South (NIGER DELTA) region said SSPWAI is a non-political professional women association established on the 10th October, 2015 with the objective of bringing together and uniting the south-south women of various professions with the purpose of contributing ideas, skills and talents and even our resources to the development of the Niger Delta region.
“We have over 27,000 members spread across 26 countries including Nigeria, Africa, United states, Europe, Asia and other parts of the world with headquarters in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. We engage in advocacy, mentorship, manpower development, girl-child education, lobbying, and women empowerment programmes”, it stated.
“On the planned impeachment of the Rivers State Governor and his Deputy, we want to inform the whole world that the bottom-line is the refusal of His Excellency Sir Fubara to collaborate with the RSHA to squander the resources of Rivers State. The Governor has rather chosen to use Rivers money judiciously for the welfare of the citizens of the state and the provision of basic infrastructure in the state and this the Assembly found as offensive.
“When former Rivers Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) was in office during the period of emergency rule, the House cajoled Ibas to illegally release the sum of N350 million to each member of the RSHA under the name of “constituency project” and another N100 million to each of them. Ibas also bought brand new Prado Jeep for each of the assembly members. These are facts.
“The vehicles are being driven around the state by the law makers, who in actual fact are not making any law. On the return of democratic governance after emergency rule, the same law makers approached the Governor, Sir Fubara claiming they have spent N500 billion for constituency projects which they want captured in a new budget, but the Governor refused on the premise that the current budget by Ibas that was approved by the National Assembly is still running (will run from June 2025 to June 2026), and that a supplementary budget would only be prepared if there is need for any new expenditure item.
“We all know that even the current Federal Government budget is that of last year and still running. Unfortunately, the position of the governor did not seat well with the lawmakers whose only ambition is to milk the state dry in the name of constituency project.
“They don’t want to know whether Rivers people are eating or not, they don’t want to know if the people have basic health, education, road, water and other facilities or not. All that matters to the State Assembly is bring let’s share. Is that what governance is all about? This is the main reason the House want to impeach Gov Fubara
“Information that got to our organization is that each member of the RSHA has already collected N500 million to impeach the governor and his deputy, but God will not allow that to happen. We also call on the National Assembly to immediately take over the legislative duties of the RSHA since they have proved incapable of carrying out their legislative functions in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” they said.
