Impeachment: “How Can  Fubara, A Man, Respond To A Correspondence Where He Was Addressed As Madam”? – Aide

By Adesina Soyooye

A Special Assistant to Governor Siminalayi Fubara  of Rivers State, has given reasons why his Principal has not responded to the impeachment charges made against him by the Members of the House of Assembly.

Darlington Orji, Fubara’s Aide, in an interview on AIT said that there was nothing before the Governor for him to respond to. He said no correspondence has been served on the Governor so he cannot respond to what he has neither seen nor received. Nobody has served anything on the Governor, he explained.

The Governor, he added, was out of the Country by the time the Assembly began the impeachment move and has not received anything from them. He challenged anybody who claims to have served the Governor with any impeachment notice should come out with proof.

Orji, also, noted that from what they have seen and read from reports, the Governor was not even properly addressed. He said that the Governor was addressed as “Madam” when he is not a woman.

These, and more, are the reasons Fubara has not responded, he said, not that he is ignoring them.

The House of Assembly, had on January 8, began impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his Deputy, Professor Ngọzi Odu, over alleged gross misconduct.

But Orji said although Mr Fubara heard of the impeachment move against him on the media and social media, he was yet to be served as of Friday last week.

“As I speak to you today, I can confirm that the Rivers State House of Assembly met on the 8 of January and up until this (Friday) morning, the Governor of Rivers, Siminalayi Fubara, has not received a copy of the impeachment notice or notice of gross misconduct.

Orji argued that the House  of assembly has not even complied with the processes of impeachment as provided by the laws.

He also argued that  Nigerian courts, including the Supreme Court had said that notice of impeachment and gross misconduct must be “personally” served on the Governor.

“So, he (Fubara) has not been served. He would have responded because he has nothing to hide, as he has not ran foul of any law to warrant impeachment.

Mr Orji said that he only saw the notice of the alleged gross misconduct against Mr Fubara on “social media where the governor was addressed as ‘madam’ instead of ‘Sir’.

“We felt it was just a mere play because the governor, as far as I know, is a man. The governor will have no reason not to respond if he was properly addressed.”

He, also, said that the House of Assembly Members would respect the injunction against the impeachment given by a Port Harcourt High Court.

“I don’t think they are going to flout it because they know the implications of flouting the order.

But for me, I know that they’re honourable members and if truly they are honourable members, they will respect the opinion of the court.

“They can approach the court and ask it to vacate the order.”