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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
A former factional speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, has disclosed that he was offered money to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Ehie, who is now Chief of Staff to Fubara, was majority leader of the assembly when the first move was made to impeach Fubara.
He and a few others objected the move, forcing them to break away from the majority lawmakers who are loyal to Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
He had emerged speaker of the faction which got dissolved after President Bola Tinubu waded into the crisis after both Wike and Fubara’s camps signed a peace accord.
However, the peace move has since collapsed and the two camps have renewed hostilities.
Speaking at an event in Ahoada East Local Government of Rivers State at the weekend, Ehie, said he was offered money to remove the governor.
Although he did not disclose the identities of those who offered him money, he said he refused to accept the offer.
“They invited me, your son, to impeach the governor and I told them clearly, I was not interested.
“They gave me all the money that was hidden before, which I rejected. And because I refused, they conspired and declared me wanted,” he said.
The Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers had allegedly lodged criminal complaints against Ehie with the Rivers State Police Command regarding the invasion and arson of the Rivers State House of Assembly chambers by unidentified hoodlums.
He was subsequently declared wanted by the police before a Federal High Court in Abuja quashed the arrest warrant issued against him and five others.
On Friday, Fubara gazetted an executive order moving the sitting of the House of Assembly to Government House.