Port Harcourt | The Rivers State House of Assembly has reaffirmed its decision to continue impeachment proceedings against Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, accusing the duo of persistent constitutional violations and disregard for legislative authority.
The lawmakers also alleged that the governor was plotting to use officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intimidate members of the House as the impeachment process unfolds.
Members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly made these allegations during a media briefing held in Port Harcourt on Friday, insisting that the impeachment exercise would proceed despite appeals and interventions from various quarters.
Background to the Impeachment Move
The Assembly had on January 8 formally commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, citing gross misconduct and disobedience to the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Following the move, the House adjourned to reconvene on Thursday, January 15, after resolving to serve impeachment notices on the executive arm through the Clerk of the Assembly. However, the House did not sit on the scheduled date, and no official reason was given for the failure to convene.
The impeachment process initially appeared uncertain after four lawmakers publicly called for political dialogue instead of removal of the governor and his deputy. On Monday, the House Minority Leader, Hon. Sylvanus Nwankwo (Omuma Constituency), alongside Hon. Peter Abbey (Degema Constituency), withdrew from the impeachment process and urged their colleagues to seek a political solution.
They were later joined by Hon. Barile Nwakoh (Khana Constituency I) and Hon. Emilia Amadi (Obio/Akpor Constituency II), who also appealed for restraint and dialogue.
Lawmakers Make U-Turn
However, the political narrative shifted on Friday when the four lawmakers made a dramatic U-turn, declaring their support for the continuation of the impeachment process.
Speaking to journalists, Nwakoh and Amadi said they had abandoned their earlier call for political solutions, alleging that Governor Fubara had failed to honour agreements and showed no willingness to correct what they described as constitutional infractions.
They accused the governor of refusing to retrace his steps and claimed that his actions left the House with no alternative but to proceed with impeachment.
Also addressing journalists, the Majority Leader, Hon. Major Jack, accused Governor Fubara and his deputy of being unresponsive and defiant in the face of allegations of gross misconduct.
Jack, who spoke alongside lawmakers from the Ijaw extraction, said the governor had shown clear unwillingness to obey the constitution, adding that the House would not abandon its constitutional duty.
In a joint briefing later on Friday, the Assembly said it would move forward with the impeachment process regardless of appeals from individuals and groups across the country.
Reading from a prepared statement, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Dumle Maol, described Governor Fubara as “incorrigible,” alleging that repeated efforts to advise him had failed.
Maol said both the governor and his deputy had remained adamant and had not taken steps to address the constitutional issues outlined in the impeachment notice.
According to him, the executive had shown no intention of halting what the House described as continued disobedience of the constitution, stressing that the situation posed a serious threat to democracy in the state.
The Deputy Speaker further accused the governor of using media platforms to attack lawmakers while allegedly planning to deploy the EFCC to intimidate members of the Assembly.
He said that despite public calls for peace, the governor and his deputy had refused to respond to the allegations against them, choosing instead to discredit the legislature and undermine its authority.
Maol noted that the House was being portrayed as the aggressor, while, in its view, the executive arm had consistently violated constitutional provisions and refused to respect the principle of separation of powers.
The Assembly insisted that the crisis in Rivers State was not about personal or political disagreements, including the widely speculated rift between the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, but about adherence to the constitution.
Maol urged residents of Rivers State to carefully study the impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy to better understand the lawmakers’ position.
He stressed that the only path to lasting peace and development in the state lies in respect for the rule of law, separation of powers, and constitutional governance, warning that intimidation and blackmail would further weaken democracy.
