Tinubu declaring state of emergency saved Fubara from impeachment – AGF

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, has suggested that President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State may have saved Governor Siminalayi Fubara from impeachment.

He made this statement on Wednesday while addressing reporters at the State House, Abuja.

According to Fagbemi, the political crisis in Rivers State had reached a point where Fubara’s impeachment seemed inevitable. However, the emergency declaration and suspension of state officials effectively halted the process.

“It appears so (that Mr Tinubu saved Mr Fubara from impeachment),” Mr Fagbemi said when a reporter asked him the question.

“Don’t forget, I think yesterday (Tuesday), there was a notice of impeachment from the House of Assembly. If that impeachment had been allowed to take its full course, then the governor would have lost wholly and entirely.”

The senior lawyer said the state of emergency declared by the president could be seen as a comprise decision for both Mr Fubara and his political oppenents led by FCT minister Nyesom Wike.

“So, in a way, if you say it’s a compromise, I will agree that instead of allowing the impeachment process to continue, and which in the end, would have seen both the governor and the deputy governor out of office and would have been out for the entirety of the four-year term with the remainder of what it we have.

“We are one year, I think about nine months now, leaving a balance of two years and three months. So, if normalcy returns, Fubara Sim may come in. But for now, it could be a compromise. I will agree.”

Platinumpost reports that Mr Tinubu declared the state of emergency on Tuesday and suspended the governor, his deputy and the state’s lawmakers for six months.