You’re Joking, Rivers Youth Leader Slams Fubara Over Assembly Invitation

Edith CHUKU

The invitation by the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to the Speaker of the State House Of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, has been described as an insult and a joke taken too far.

A youth leader in the state, Mr. Chimenem Bobo Worlu, who spoke with TNN on Monday, accused Fubara of violating constitutional order by not honouring the ultimatum issued by the assembly.

Worlu who is referred to as the State Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria NYCN, claimed that the governor’s actions had led to break down of law and orders in the state, insisting that the state does not have commissioners and an attorney general.

He insisted that government house was not the assembly quarter, adding that if Fubara wants to meet with the assembly, he should go to the assembly chambers.

In his words, Worlu who is also a former Obio/Akpor Local Government Area chapter Chairman of the NYCN advised that, “the arm of government should play their respective role and obey the rule of law.

“What is causing issues in Rivers State today is violation of constitutional order, the governor has violated constitutional orders in several occasions. He has his power as the executive governor of the state, the assembly also have their power as legislative arm of government of the state, so if there is break down of rule of law, there will be break down of orders in the state.

“Today Rivers State has no commissioner, no attorney general, where is the state heading to? And the governor is not bothered about it.”

He described Fubara’s invitation to the assembly as, “stealing by tricks. This is a democratic system of government where we have three arms of government; the executive, judiciary and the legislative.

“Now, the legislative arm of the government has been calling on the governor, we have seen series of letters, even after the Supreme Court judgement, which the governor boldly declined and made us to know, the general public that he is not answerable to the assembly, even when the Supreme Court has given verdict, now he refused to act according to the judgment of the Supreme Court even after they gave him 48 hours. Then after about a week, he is now coming back to invite the assembly, writing to see him within less than six hours.

“Government house is not the assembly quarters, Rivers State House of Assembly as enshrined in the constitution of the assembly has no office in government house, the assembly has their chambers, they have their office. It’s the duty of the governor, if he wants to see the assembly to go down to the assembly chambers, have sitting with the assembly through the leadership who is the speaker of the state, so the governor don’t want to sit with the assembly, he don’t want to have a meeting with them, that is why he is giving invitation that is not possible.

“The assembly has no office in the government house. Will the assembly sit with the governor in his office? That’s capital no, it has never happened before.”

He noted that, “what the governor is doing it not constitutional and it’s not part of democratic system of government. The assembly has their right and they should be respected, they are not children, that office is not for marketing.

“What the governor is doing is a joke taken too far, the joke of the governor with Rivers people and the state house of assembly, the way he is treating them is a joke taken too far, he has gone too far with this joke. It’s an insult for the governor to invite the assembly to his office when he knows his relationship with the assembly, we don’t need to hide any feeling, the governor knows that his relationship with the assembly is not fair and they have issues to settle and that would be done in the house of assembly chambers not the governor’s office, so for the governor to wake up and command, it’s a command, giving them a formation, less than six hours, even on a weekend, it’s an insult to the assembly.”

Worlu further urged the governor to obey the rule of law.

He appealed to the youths of the state not to, “take laws into their hands because the law must surely speak and then the law speak, actions will be taken, it might take time but must surely come.”