Epelle made the remarks during an interview on News Central Television while reacting to the manner in which the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, presented the impeachment notice on the floor of the Assembly.
According to him, beyond the words used by the Speaker, his physical demeanor revealed a deeper emotional struggle and political frustration.
In his word: “Look beyond his lips, look at his body language, he’s responding with frustration. It’s more like he’s interested in himself and his group, at the expense of the entire Rivers people,” Epelle said during the interview.
He argued that Amaewhule appeared visibly angry and emotionally unsettled while reading the impeachment notice, a posture he said raised questions about the underlying motivation for the process.
Epelle suggested that the body language on display reflected dissatisfaction among some lawmakers who believe they have been cut off from access to state resources and influence since the change in leadership.
According to Epelle, the impeachment move is less about constitutional breaches and more about a struggle for relevance and control.
He alleged that certain members of the Assembly are aggrieved because they no longer enjoy the level of political access and patronage they were accustomed to in the past.
“This is not about Rivers people. This is about some people feeling excluded. When people lose access, frustration sets in, and that frustration is what you’re seeing,” he said.
The activist questioned the priorities of the lawmakers driving the impeachment process, asking whether their actions truly reflect the interests of the citizens who elected them.
He warned that persistent political battles between arms of government ultimately harm ordinary people who depend on stability for economic and social progress.
“Who are they really fighting for? Is it for Rivers people or for themselves?” Epelle asked.
“When leaders fight endlessly, it is the market woman, the civil servant, and the young people looking for jobs that suffer the most.”
Epelle also criticised what he described as hypocrisy within the Assembly, noting that the sudden concern over the management of state resources appeared selective.
He pointed out that similar alarm was not raised during the period of sole administration in the state, which, according to him, allegedly resulted in significant financial losses.
He questioned why lawmakers who are now presenting themselves as defenders of public funds did not speak out with the same intensity when the state was under emergency rule and a sole administrator was overseeing affairs.
“If they were truly worried about Rivers money, where were they when those funds were allegedly lost?” he asked.
According to Epelle, consistency is a key measure of integrity in public office, and selective outrage undermines the credibility of the impeachment process.
He argued that accountability must be applied evenly, regardless of who is in power.
He further cautioned that turning impeachment into a tool for political vendetta could weaken democratic institutions and deepen divisions in Rivers State.
Epelle urged political actors to place the interest of the people above personal ambition and to resolve disputes through dialogue rather than confrontation.
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