Governor Without Lawmakers’ Support Has ‘Numbered Days’ — TVC’s Babajide Otitoju

Director of News at Television Continental (TVC), Babajide Otitoju, has warned that any state governor who lacks the support of the state House of Assembly may not last long in office.

Otitoju made the remark on Sunday during an interview on TVC, while reacting to the political crisis currently rocking Rivers State, where members of the House of Assembly have initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy.

According to him, the move by the Rivers State House of Assembly appears questionable, especially in the case of the deputy governor.

“Rivers House of Assembly wants to impeach Fubara’s deputy, even when they can’t really point out the offence she has committed,” Otitoju said.

He added that the situation has fueled public perception that the impeachment process is a calculated move to remove both the governor and his deputy from office.

“That’s why people think this is just a game meant to get the governor and deputy out of the way so that the speaker can become acting governor,” he stated.

Otitoju stressed that the political reality is clear, noting that a governor’s survival largely depends on the backing of state lawmakers.

“The fact is clear. If you don’t have the support of the lawmakers, your days could actually be numbered,” he said.

He also drew a historical parallel, citing the experience of former Kaduna State governor Balarabe Musa, whose tenure ended under similar circumstances.

“This was actually what happened to Balarabe Musa, who was governor of Kaduna State,” Otitoju added.