The Rivers State House of Assembly has formally commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, deepening the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state.
The move followed the presentation of a notice of allegations of gross misconduct during plenary on Thursday, presided over by the Speaker of the House, Mr Martins Amaewhule.
The notice, which was read by the Majority Leader of the House, Major Jack, was reportedly signed by 26 lawmakers. It accused the governor and his deputy of several constitutional breaches, including alleged obstruction of the legislative arm, failure to present appropriation bills, and unauthorized spending of public funds.
According to the lawmakers, the actions of the governor and his deputy have allegedly prevented the House from performing its constitutional responsibilities, thereby amounting to gross misconduct as defined under Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
With the notice now adopted, the Assembly is expected to formally serve the allegations on Governor Fubara and his deputy within seven days, in line with constitutional provisions. Upon service, the governor will be required to respond to the allegations within the stipulated timeframe.
The development marks a fresh escalation in the long-running political rift in Rivers State, which has seen repeated confrontations between the executive and legislative arms of government.
Political observers note that this is one of several attempts by the Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara since he assumed office, reflecting persistent divisions within the state’s political structure.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official reaction from the governor or his deputy regarding the impeachment move.
Further developments are expected as the constitutional process unfolds.
