The Spokesperson of G-60 federal lawmakers in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, has stated that Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has the constitutional power to sustain the state government with Executive Orders until the ‘new’ 27 lawmakers are elected to the State House of Assembly.
Ugochinyere, in a statement on Wednesday, noted that powers of executive order allow him to sustain his oath of office which is to ensure smooth running of government in view of the crisis caused by 27 lawmakers who lost legitimacy having defected from PDP to APC in the State.
According to him, Governor Fubara has constitutional powers to protect the constitution and likely breakdown of law and order by proscribing the activities of people he called impostors who parade themselves as lawmakers when their seats have been declared vacant.
He said the illegal laws being manufactured from a two-bedroom apartment in Emohua and Abuja by the same people impersonating state lawmakers can’t be enforced as the makers of the said laws are not members of any legitimate House of Assembly.
The G60 federal lawmakers held the view that the Edison-led House needed to present forward the acting speaker since his resignation so as to ensure the legislative functions of maintaining democratic balance is in place and while awaiting for the new speaker from the remaining members who have not decamped to another party.
Ugochinyere added that the 27 defectors must be used as scapegoats to stop further constitutional abuse by cross carpeting lawmakers.
Ugochinyere said, “The governor should issue executive order in view of the 27 members’ decampment, issue recognition to the remaining lawmakers to continue to pilot the affairs of the House pending when INEC conducts elections to fill the vacancies. The LGA laws, procurement laws which is being compromised by the 27 imposters can’t stand and the governor has powers to continue running the government using existing valid laws.
“Vacant position can be filled by creating a new title or name for such position and executive order used to announce the new occupant in view of the 27 vacant seats which have created vacuum in the House or the group of 4 lawmakers can move in give all needed approval as the law recognises them. The LGA law, Procurement law, which is being compromised by the 27 imposters can’t stand.”