Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have voted to proceed with the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, after four lawmakers who had earlier withdrawn from the process reversed their decision and threw their weight behind the move.
The decision was taken during plenary on Friday, where the House voted unanimously to continue investigations into allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
Between Monday and Wednesday, the four lawmakers — Sylvanus Nwankwo (Omuma), Peter Abbey (Degema), Barile Nwakoh (Khana I) and Emilia Amadi (Obio/Akpor II) — had announced their withdrawal from the impeachment process, citing the need for dialogue and political reconciliation.
However, during Friday’s sitting, they said they had reconsidered their position, accusing the governor and his deputy of continued hostility and disregard for calls for dialogue.
Speaker Martin Amaewhule said the resolution to proceed was taken in line with section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“Those in favour that the investigation should proceed are 25 in number, against nil, abstention nil,” Amaewhule said.
“By this vote, the Rivers State House of Assembly has resolved that investigations into allegations of gross misconduct against His Excellency, Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, should proceed to the next level. I will forward a letter to the Chief Judge to immediately set up a seven-man panel to begin investigations.”
The Assembly adjourned plenary to Tuesday, January 27.
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Earlier, the deputy speaker, Dumle Maol, accused Fubara and his deputy of intimidating and blackmailing lawmakers, alleging repeated violations of the constitution.
“Previous attempts at resolving the political quagmire failed because the governor does not abide by agreements and cannot be trusted,” Maol said, adding that impeachment had become the only option.
He also alleged that the governor used anti-graft agencies and media platforms to pressure lawmakers, while refusing to formally respond to the allegations against him.
Similarly, Looloo Opuende, who represents Akuku-Toru Constituency II, accused the governor of attempting to induce constituents to initiate recall processes against lawmakers backing impeachment.
“While the impeachment process was ongoing, the governor was busy paying our constituents to recall us from the Assembly,” Opuende alleged.
He said impeachment remained a constitutional process and urged the House leadership to allow it to run its course.
Reacting, Darlington Orji, special assistant to the governor on political matters, dismissed the lawmakers’ claims, describing their actions as scripted.
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, Orji said the crisis was a struggle for political control in the state.
“This is a battle for the soul of Rivers State,” he said, accusing unnamed interests of attempting to unseat the governor.
Meanwhile, a Rivers State High Court sitting in Oyigbo issued an interim injunction restraining the Speaker, the Clerk of the House and others from sending any communication to the Chief Judge regarding the impeachment.
The court also barred the Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, from acting on any request to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations against the governor and his deputy for seven days.
Justice F.A. Fiberesima adjourned the case to January 23 for hearing.
