Our Reporter, Abuja
Financial disagreements between the Rivers State executive and the House of Assembly are at the heart of the impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Darlington Orji, has said.
Speaking on ARISE News programme, The Morning Show, on Friday, Orji alleged that the impeachment plot was driven by monetary interests rather than any genuine case of misconduct, insisting the process lacks merit and will ultimately fail.
According to Orji, tensions escalated after a meeting Governor Fubara had with the speaker, Martins Amaewhule,some lawmakers and some elders the house of one of the elders wherein the legislatirs demanded a supplementary budget, a request the governor firmly rejected, citing the state’s healthy financial position.
“The governor himself said that when he came back on board, there was about ₦600 billion in the coffers of Rivers State Government,” Orji said.
He explained that Governor Fubara saw no justification for a supplementary budget late in the fiscal year.
“The governor said, ‘I don’t have a need for a supplementary budget,’” he added.
Responding to claims that lawmakers were being denied funds, Orji countered that members of the Assembly had already received substantial financial support from the interim administration of Ibas.
“The ₦350 million that was given to each of them for their constituency project, where did it come from?” he asked.
He further alleged that lawmakers were also provided with luxury vehicles.
“It’s Range Rover 2025,” Orji said, adding, “I can make the record available to you.”
Orji dismissed reports that impeachment proceedings had been formally served on the governor, describing such claims as false.
“I can confirm to you up until this minute, he has not received any proceedings from the Assembly,” he said.
He maintained that there was no basis for initiating impeachment, stressing that allegations of misconduct against Governor Fubara were unsupported.
“The truth of the matter is that there is no cause for even initiating the impeachment process,” Orji said.
The governor’s aide insisted that the move does not reflect the will of the people of Rivers State and predicted that the process would soon be abandoned.
“I’m very sure, I’m convinced that they will drop the process, because there is no need for it. That is not what Rivers State wants for now,” he said.
Addressing suggestions that the governor was slow to respond or caught unawares by the crisis, Orji rejected the claim, describing Fubara as calm and deliberate.
“No, the governor is not waking up. This is a man that does not want to join issues with people. He’s very calm, he’s very humble,” he said.
Orji also dismissed allegations that the governor travelled to evade service of impeachment notices, explaining that the Assembly reconvened unexpectedly.
“The governor did not run away. The governor is not afraid of service, because there is no cockroach in his cupboard. He has nothing to hide,” he said, adding that the governor is currently in Port Harcourt.
On claims of illegal appointments without legislative screening, Orji insisted that no law was breached.
“The governor has not made any appointment that requires screening,” he said.
He explained that following a Supreme Court judgment recognising Martin Amaewhule as the authentic Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the governor retained only officials previously screened under that leadership.
“The governor dropped them, leaving the eight persons that were screened by Martin Amaewhule,” Orji said.
On the appointment of special advisers, he maintained that screening was not required.
“The only five appointments that were made are members of special advisers, which Martin Amaewhule has already given clearance to. They are never screened,” he added.
Orji expressed confidence that the impeachment effort would collapse as support within the Assembly continues to wane.
“I can tell you for free that this process will not get through because there is no truth in it,” he said.
He added that the number of lawmakers backing the impeachment was already declining.
“When they raised that issue, there were 26. As of today, there are 22,” Orji said, insisting that “their numbers will reduce by the day.”
