Jake Epelle, an activist from Rivers, has cautioned Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to refrain from threatening to remove his estranged successor Siminalayi Fubara from office.
Speaking at a media parley in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike reportedly said that if lawmakers find Fubara guilty of crimes that could lead to his impeachment, such as allegedly depriving them of their paychecks for months, they have the constitutional power to remove him.
Epelle, however, stated in an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief show on Thursday that Wike cannot support peace while encouraging his supporters in the legislative body led by Martins Amaewhule to remove Fubara from office.
The activist insisted that since Fubara had not committed any crimes that might lead to his impeachment and because the state’s citizens firmly supported him, no one would remove him from office.
Epeller went on to say it is unjust that members of the House of Assembly are following the FCT minister’s instructions.
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“Let them go and try impeachment; they won’t succeed,” he said. Fubara won’t be impeached. Since he hasn’t committed any crimes that would make him impeachable, I declare that out loud on national television. The people firmly support him, and no one will impeach him.
What would happen if he were impeached? No, the Rivers people are not as bothersome as we are portrayed to be, but we will support democracy and stick behind him (Fubara).
“Anyone else could experience this pandemonium if we don’t stop it. The ongoing threat of impeachment ought to end.
“Wike lacks the constitutional authority to remove a governor from office. Although he is not a member of the State Assembly, he has the authority to demand impeachment.
He has the right, in his own view, to demand that Fubara be removed from office, but the State Assembly members will carry out the impeachment.
“Is there someone pounding the drum for the dancing masquerade? There is, of course.
“I was informed that they (the assembly members) received a call from Abuja (I’m not sure who made the call) telling them not to see the governor just as he was approaching the gate.
In this instance, the state assembly members are either playing out the script that was provided to them or dancing to the rhythm of the drum. That is really unjust.
