Apparently taking a cue from some opposition members in the House of Representatives, the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) has vehemently opposed the moves by some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, to veto and override the assent of Governor Siminalayi Fubara on controversial bills to reform local government administration in the State, as well as extend the tenure of serving Council Chairmen and Councillors in the State.
The union said the action of the lawmakers is unknown to any extant law in the country and therefore is condemnable and unacceptable.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who gave the indication in an interview in Port Harcourt, said the lawmakers must now tread with caution in order not to incur the wrath of Rivers people who have risen stoutly in defence of the Governor in the wake of the current political crisis in the State.
According to him, the action of the lawmakers is a recipe for chaos, anarchy and lawlessness, and goes contrary to the peace accord brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He noted that in spite of the fact that Governor Fubara had taken steps to abide by the terms of the peace accord, and has continued to preach peace, the lawmakers and their co-travellers have rather continued to stoke the ambers of chaos, violence and needless bloodletting in the State.
Osumah, therefore, opined that if the lawmakers fail to retrace their steps and give peace a chance, the union would without hesitation, in conjunction with other labour unions in the State mobilise workers across the country to storm Rivers State, in order to call the legislators to order.
He regretted that the lawmakers have in a hurry forgotten that by virtue of their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), they had ceased to be elected members of the State House of Assembly, and advised them to purge themselves of the tendencies of taking the laws into their own hands.
He said the time has come for the National Assembly to take over the functions of legislating for the Rivers State House of Assembly since majority of the state lawmakers had lost the mandate and legitimacy to continue to perform their legislative functions for their constituents and the State, by virtue of their defections.
While describing the moves by the lawmakers to amend the Local Government Law of the State without recourse to the Governor’s assent as legislative rascality, Osumah said civil servants in the State can no longer fold their arms and watch while some individuals take pleasure in insulting the Governor with impunity and denigrating the office of the Governor.
He maintained that the civil servants are united in their unalloyed support for the Governor Fubara administration and would continue to support the Governor to succeed in office as one of their own. This is even as he called on all civil servants in the State to continue to support and pray for the Governor and be prepared to march out whenever they are called upon.
Osumah also appealed to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to take keen interest in what is happening in Rivers State, particularly when one of its members in the person of Governor Fubara is being haunted and maligned.
He called on the Governors to rise up in defence of their colleague, by sending a strong message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The Governors should be reminded that there is an adage that says, ‘wetin reach old pot must surely reach the new pot’. If this rascality is allowed to thrive, any one of them could be the next victim. Folding their arms and sleeping while one of them is being maligned is dangerous. It could spell disaster”, he said.
Osumah also condemned the recent call by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Governor Fubara to publicly face the press, describing the comments by the Minister as infantile, unnecessary and frivolous.
According to him, Governor Fubara should be left alone and be allowed to concentrate on governance.
The labour leader expressed optimism that Governor Fubara would put smiles on the faces of civil servants in the State as Christendom prepares for this year’s Easter celebrations.