PDP Declares APC-dominated Rivers Assembly Illegal

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, especially those who detected from its fold to the All Progressives Congress (APC) that they are illegal.

It, therefore, advised them to stop disturbing the peace of the state but allow Governor Siminalayi Fubara to concentrate on delivering dividends of his mandate to Rivers’ people.

The PDP in a statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, reacted to the recent threat by the Martins Amaewhule-led House to resume impeachment proceedings against the governor.

The statement, which was signed by the party’s state publicity secretary, Tambari Sydney Gbara, insisted that the legitimacy of the lawmakers is subject to litigations, following their defection and urged them to first address their legal status.

It stated that the affected lawmakers dumped the platform they were elected on to join another political party without consulting their constituents, adding that they have continued to make retrogressive laws and utterances that are inimical to the growth and development of the state.

The party noted that other State Houses of Assembly are making laws for the growth and development of their states and supporting their respective state governments.

The statement reads in part: “Those people were the first beneficiaries of the magnanimity and peaceful disposition of Governor Fubara by signing the lopsided peace accord despite a court of competent jurisdiction had recognised Rt.Hon. Edison Ehie as the speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, which gave them a life line to still operate, because having defected to APC without any crises in PDP, their seats were vacant constitutionally.

“But now that they show how ungrateful they are, the several court cases querying their legality, seeking the interpretation of section 109 1(g) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, will settle the dust around them in due course.

“No matter how long they try to run away from it, justice most be served because they no longer represent their constituencies. Their actions are a total embarrassment to Rivers people and a complete show of public shame.

“The people elected them out of their good will, but they let those constituents down by pursuing selfish agenda that has further plunged the State into crises. The threats of impeachment are empty and cannot stand. It is selfish and their pursuit of personal aggrandisement which will be resisted by Rivers people.

“If they want to know what Rivers people think about them, they should go to the streets to seek the opinion of the masses. You are operating illegally, hence your illegal laws are inconsequential on Rivers people”.