BREAKING: Rivers Assembly Insists On Impeachment Of Governor Fubara, Deputy As Lawmakers Back Probe Into Alleged Gross Misconduct

Port-harcourt, Rivers State– Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly on Friday insisted that the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, would continue, declaring that the embattled governor no longer enjoys the confidence of the legislature to resolve the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state.

The lawmakers made their position known during a live press conference held in Port Harcourt, where they accused Governor Fubara of blackmailing the legislature and deliberately undermining the authority of the House.

According to the legislators, the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State has reached a point where the governor’s actions have eroded trust between the executive and the legislature, leaving the Assembly with no option but to activate its constitutional powers.

They alleged that Governor Fubara had violated provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), insisting that the impeachment process was not driven by personal interests but by the need to protect constitutional order and the rule of law in the state.

The legislators further accused the governor and his deputy of resorting to intimidation and harassment of members of the Assembly in a bid to frustrate legislative activities and stall the impeachment process.

They maintained that such alleged intimidation only strengthened their resolve to carry out their constitutional responsibilities without fear or favour.

Despite the sharp criticisms, the lawmakers expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for intervening in the Rivers political crisis, noting that the President’s involvement demonstrated concern for democratic stability and governance in the state.

However, they stressed that the intervention of the President did not in any way invalidate the constitutional powers of the Rivers State House of Assembly to investigate allegations of misconduct and, where necessary, initiate impeachment proceedings.

The Assembly members also called on the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, to reconvene the Assembly to allow legislative business to proceed without obstruction.

In a notable twist, four members of the House who had earlier held separate press conferences advocating for a political settlement of the crisis publicly recanted their earlier positions.

The lawmakers announced during Friday’s briefing that they had withdrawn their calls for a political solution and were now fully aligned with the decision of the House to pursue impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy.

Shortly after the press conference, the lawmakers proceeded to the Assembly chambers, where a plenary session was convened amid tight security.

During the session, the members unanimously voted in support of commencing an investigation into allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.

The vote effectively cleared the way for the next stage of the impeachment process, as provided for under the Constitution.