By Aniefiok Christopher
Less than one year, Rivers State House of Assembly Thursday resumed impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
During plenary presided over by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, the Majority Leader, Rivers State House of Assembly, Major Jack, read out the notice of allegations and gross misconduct against Fubara.
Relying on Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution, Jack reeled out seven points of alleged gross misconduct against Fubara.
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Some of the accusations include the demolition of the Assembly Complex, extra budgetary spending, withholding funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, a refusal to obey the Supreme Court on the financial autonomy of the house.
Twenty-six members of the Rivers State House of Assembly signed the notice.
“I will ensure that this letter is forwarded to His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, within seven days,” Amaewhule said.
After Jack laid his notice before the Speaker, the deputy leader, Linda Stewart also brought forward a notice of gross misconduct against Odu.
Some of the gross misconducts allegations included reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds, obstruction of the House of Assembly from performing her constitutional duties as outlined by the 1999 Constitution, conniving to allow unauthorized persons to occupy offices without proper screening by the legitimate House of Assembly.
Other allegations were that she approached another group of people for budgetary approval instead of the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly, seizure of salaries and allowances accruing to the RSHA and the Assembly Service Commission.
Second Impeachment Move
The move is the second attempt by the lawmakers to impeach Gov Fubara and his deputy, following a similar one in March 2025.
In the notice signed by 26 members of the Rivers Assembly at that time, the lawmakers had accused Fubara and Odu of gross misconduct after the governor fell out with the immediate governor of the state, Nyesom Wike.
Following escalating tensions in the oil-rich state, President Bola Tinubu intervened and declared a state of emergency.
FG Suspends Governor
The National Assembly mandated President Bola Tinubu to have suspended Fubara, his deputy and the Rivers Assembly, saying the development is “required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months,” Tinubu said.
Thereafter, the President appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as the administrator of the state.
Ibas is said to have left N600 billion in the kitty of Rivers State government.
Fubara returned after six months following a reconciliatory move brokered between him, Wike, who is the FCT Minister, and the lawmakers.
In December, Fubara left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under whose platform he was elected in 2023, and became a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We cannot support the President if we don’t fully identify with him, not backyard support,” the governor said.
“So, we have taken that decision today since we have gotten the pass. Everyone here who had followed me, who had suffered with me, our decision today, this evening, we are moving to APC.”
His defection came days after some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly joined the APC.
