The Rivers State House of Assembly has dismissed
claims that the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi
Fubara are being influenced by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory
(FCT), Nyesom Wike.
TheAssembly’s spokesperson, Enemi George, said the
lawmakers were acting strictly in line with constitutional provisions and not
under the direction of any political figure.
George warned against conflating politics with
constitutional responsibilities, stressing that such a narrative undermines the
integrity of the legislature.
“This is pouring oil into water, and those two don’t
mix unless boiled. The FCT minister is a politician. If we begin to mix
politics and constitutional matters, we will begin to cause trouble,” he said.
He added that it was unfair and demeaning to reduce
the actions of an institution established by the Constitution to the influence
of an individual.
“I am not a party chief; I am the spokesperson of the
Rivers State House of Assembly. Personally, I am politically aligned with the
FCT minister, but it is insulting to reduce the activities of an institution
created by the Constitution to just politics or an individual,” George stated.
The Assembly spokesperson maintained that the
impeachment process was not politically motivated, insisting that the governor
allegedly breached several constitutional provisions.
He also dismissed allegations of budget padding and
claims that legislative activities had been stalled, describing them as
unfounded.
Impeachment Proceedings
The Rivers State House of Assembly on Thursday
formally commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara
and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, citing allegations of gross misconduct.
During plenary presided over by Speaker Martins
Amaewhule, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, read a notice of allegations
against the governor in accordance with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.
The notice outlined seven allegations, including the
demolition of the Assembly complex, extra-budgetary spending, withholding of
funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, and alleged disobedience of a
Supreme Court ruling on the financial autonomy of the legislature.
Twenty-six lawmakers endorsed the notice, while
Amaewhule said the Assembly would formally notify the governor within the
constitutionally stipulated timeframe.
In a related development, the Deputy Leader of the
House, Linda Stewart, presented a separate notice of gross misconduct against
Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu. The allegations include reckless and
unconstitutional spending, obstruction of legislative activities, and the
alleged approval of budgets outside the recognised legislature.
Political Reactions
The move marks the second impeachment attempt against
Fubara and Odu in less than a year, following a similar effort in March 2025
that arose from political tensions between the governor and his predecessor,
Nyesom Wike. That crisis led to a declaration of emergency rule in the state.
Reacting to the latest development, the Rivers State
chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) rejected the impeachment
proceedings, describing them as “destabilising and unnecessary.”
In a statement signed by the party’s spokesperson,
Darlington Nwauju, the APC acknowledged the constitutional independence of the
legislature but warned against actions capable of plunging the state into
political turmoil.
The party dismissed claims that the impeachment was
linked to budgetary issues, recalling that a ?1.485 trillion budget approved by
the National Assembly during the emergency rule period is expected to run until
August 2026.
The APC urged the Assembly to discontinue the process,
warning that it could damage the party’s image and stall development in Rivers
State.
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