PDP Cautions Pro-Wike Lawmakers over Budget Ultimatum Handed Gov Sim Fubara

•Insists they’re no longer assembly members 

•Ologbondiyan blames party for not supporting Rivers gov

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to desist from actions and utterances capable of disrupting peace and governance in the state.

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, counseled the former lawmakers to wake up to the reality that they were no longer members of the Rivers Assembly by virtue of the self-executory provision of Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and as such could not gather or issue any notice to the governor in the capacity of members of Rivers State House of Assembly.

This was as a former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, has blamed the PDPleadership for not rising in support of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, over the political crisis in the state.

The caution from the PDP came against the backdrop of a purported seven-day ultimatum issued by the lawmakers to Fubara, to re-present the 2024 budget which a faction of the House had already been passed and signed into law.

According to Ologunagba, “This action by these individuals seeking to assume the powers of the Rivers House of Assembly is apparently with the intension to cause crisis, undermine and disrupt the democratic and constitutional order in the state in clear violation of Section 1 sub-section 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Having irretrievably lost their seats upon their defection from the PDP, the political party platform upon which they were elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly, they cannot enjoy the powers, rights, privileges, recognition and obligations of members of the Rivers State House of Assembly,” he said.

The PDP, therefore, charged the Inspector General of the Police to note the subversive action of the lawmakers and take immediate action to protect the institution of democracy, peace and security in Rivers State.

The party also called on the people of Rivers State to remain vigilant, law-abiding and continue to work together for the continued stability, peace and delivery of democracy dividends in Rivers State on the platform of the PDP.

But Ologbodiyan, who spoke while appearing in a programme on Arise Television on Tuesday, said the party should have acted more in favour of Fubara.

“First and foremost, I have been in sympathy with Governor Fubara over the circumstances in which he finds himself.

“When this crisis started, I did say that this party must rise in support of the governor, whether he intends to leave or not.

“As we speak, since he has not made a public declaration, the party must rise in his support. But the events that followed showed that the party did not rise in support of Governor Fubara.

“I recalled that at the last NEC meeting, Fubara rose and made a demand concerning the caretaker committee that was constituted in Rivers.

“He said he has issues with Rivers being listed among states that will have congresses since the issue of the party’s exco has not been resolved.

“The national chairman said they had agreed at the caucus level to find a political solution. Later, I read about cases in court that encumbered political solutions.

“But even as we speak, I don’t think the party has acted in favour of Fubara, even in a conciliatory term,” he stressed