Barely one week after the impeachment of former Governor Murtala Nyako by the Adamawa State House of Assembly, attention seems to have shifted to Rivers State where some lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) said they are set to serve the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi , a notice.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday Independent in Port Harcourt , Rivers State capital on Friday , the factional Speaker of the House , Evans Bapakaye Bipi , disclosed that an impeachment notice would have been served to Amaechi last week ,but that the decision was delayed because the state judiciary is not functional .
I and my colleagues met last week to serve Amaechi the impeachment notice. But , we are delayed because there is no Judiciary . That is why we have to hold on . As soon as the Judiciary resumes , we will serve him”, Evans said. But , the Deputy Speaker of the House , Leyii Kwanee, responded that the impeachment process by the six PDP lawmakers was “ a mere rumour ” .
Kwanee explained that the Seventh Assembly has not found any fault in Amaechi that would warrant his impeachment . “ Six of them cannot and will never think of that . The Seventh Assembly does not see any reason to impeach Governor Amaechi , because, he has not done anything that would warrant his impeachment in any way. “ What you have been hearing is a mere rumour and we cannot waste our time on that ”, he stated.
On the defection of 25 lawmakers loyal to Amaechi to the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) , Evans said those seats have already been declared vacant by the PDP , saying that there is a constitutional backing to such declaration . Evans , who represents Ogu/Bolo state constituency in the House , explained that the 1999 Constitution is very clear on the issue of defection , noting that those who won elections on the PDP platform and decided to defect to another party before the expiration of their tenures have automatically lost their seats .
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